Cry of Rage
by MediocreGermanMaudchen37
Summary: Gwendolyn Brewster, a therapist that worked with Bruce Banner, Erik Selvig ,Tony Stark, and Steve Rogers. When SHIELD called her in New York saying that Steve needed her, just as all of their skeletons and deep dark secrets came into light. Spoilers for Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Some parts turn to M rating, but for the most part it's T rated.
1. Going Back to DC

_"__Ms. Brewster."_

"Yes JARVIS?"

_"__You have a call coming in from SHIELD."_

"Thank you, JARVIS."

Gwen turned in her roller office chair to see her phone screen was lit up with the SHIELD logo. Grabbing her phone, she hit the answer button and held it to her ear.

"This is Dr. Gwen Brewster."

"Doctor, this is Alexander Pierce of the World Security Council ."

Gwen face dropped. What would the head of the World Security Council want with her.

"Mister Pierce, what could a man like you being doing calling a woman like me?"

Pierce laughed on the other line, making Gwen crack a smile seeing that he wasn't as intimidating as he sounded in her head. Looking at her desk in front of her she saw the stacks of paper work she was going through. Most of it was research on Captain Steven Rogers and Bruce Banner, her two biggest clients, the only clients she had been seeing for the past six months.

"Well, doctor, I'm calling on behalf of Captain Rogers."

Leaning forward in her chair, she rested her elbows on the desktop, and her thoughts raced in her mind about Steve.

"What about Steve? Did something happen to him?"

"No, doctor,"

Pierce said with a laugh, leaving Gwen even more confusion into why he was calling.

"Nothing has happened to Captain Rogers. I have heard some agents make comments about him in the last few weeks, they've all said something seems to going on with him."

"Why isn't director Fury calling me about this?"

"He's a busy man as you know doctor. What do you say? I've already flown a private jet to New York for you. It's at JFK and it's taking off in an hour."

Gwen looked at Steve folder that was opened near the front of her desk. She thought about it for a few seconds, not taking her eyes off the picture of Steve in his folder. It was the last picture of him that was taken before he became a super soldier in 1943. She still couldn't believe that Steve used to be the same height as her and weighed less than her.

"I'll be there in a half hour, sir."

"That's what I like to hear. We'll be seeing you shortly doctor."

With that Pierce dropped the call and Gwen was left in her office with her phone on her ear. Slowly she placed her phone on the desk, she folded her hands together and rested her face against them. This was the pose she did went she was thinking. What could have happened to Steve? What was Alexander Pierce doing calling her about it, him of all people. When it came to things like this, she knew not to ask questions. Getting answers to those questions she had swirling in her mind almost never happened. What she was told the first time was what she was going to get, and nothing more.

"JARVIS?"

_"__Yes ma'am?"_

The computer voice said as it echoed through her office.

"Can you get Happy to be here in half and hour?"

_"__Of course ma'am."_

Gwen stood up, grabbed a few of the files on Steve that she had written and her phone, then walked out of her office. The sound of her bare feet hitting the cool linoleum floor could be heard throughout her floor of the Stark turned "Avengers" tower. She didn't know what to call the tower anymore other than "home", she started living there right after the Battle of New York two years ago. From there she was able to help Erik Selvig, Bruce Banner, Clint Barton and her favorite client of them all Steve Rogers. She couldn't ask for a better job or home. This is what she felt like going to school for eight years for was worth it.

Opening the door to her bedroom she placed the files down on top of the dresser. She turned to look out the large floor to ceiling window seeing the sunset along the skyline of New York City. Letting out a sigh she ripped her eyes away and started to pack. Pulling out a large black and white roller suitcase from her closet and placing it on her bed, she put her hands on her hips and looked into the empty suitcase. How long did they want her there? Was she just going for the day or was it going to be three weeks?

"Shit."

Gwen murmured to herself as she walked over to her closet and started going through it. Every now and than she'd pull a shirt, a dress, or a blazer off the hanger and draped it over her left arm. After going through her closet, she packed those clothing items into her suitcase, then moved on to her dresser. With her suitcase packed Gwen looked at her watch and saw that she had ten minutes.

_"__Ms. Brewster?"_

"Yes?"

_"__Mister Happy is waiting for you down in the lobby."_

"Thank you JARVIS. Can you tell Tony where I'm going and that I'll call him when I get settled in DC?"

_"__Of course Ms. Brewster."_

"Goodbye JARVIS."

_"__Goodbye Ms. Brewster. Good luck with Captain Rogers."_

"Thank you."

Gwen walked out of her room with her suitcase rolling behind her, the flies in her hands and her purse over her shoulder. As she walked to the elevator her thoughts continued to think of Steve, wondering why she was needed back in DC and why she hadn't heard from Steve himself about anything strange. Stepping into the elevator she pressed the *L button and the elevator came to life by closing it's doors and going down. The ride down took less than a minute from the 39th floor to the lobby. Stepping out of the elevator she walked across the lobby to see Stark Industries head of security waiting for her near the front desk. Happy saw her and waved, Gwen smiled and gave him a little wave. When she stood in front of the front desk Happy pulled her into a hug and she laughed.

"It's good to see you to Happy."

"You know you're my favorite person around here."

"Why won't I be?"

Gwen said with a smile as Happy let her go. He ushered her out the front of the tower and into a black Mercedes that was parked at the curb. Happy took her suitcase from her and put it into the trunk of the car as Gwen got settled into her seat in the back of the luxury car. A few seconds later Happy got behind the wheel and the car started. Pulling out of the parking spot on the side of the street the car was silent as Happy drove and Gwen opened the flies on her lap and read them over. After a good six minutes of silence and Happy looking in the rearview mirror at Gwen, was the silence broken.

"Where are you going?"

"JFK."

Gwen told him, not looking up from the file.

"I know that, but where from there?"

"DC. I was told that I need to come down and take a look at Steve. Apparently something is going on with him."

Happy didn't say anything after that. He knew that she was in her zone and she hated being taken out of it. The ride to JFK was quiet for the rest of the way, both Happy and Gwen didn't mind the silence, Gwen was one of the few that he drove around and didn't give him a headache.

Upon arriving to the airport the car was let onto the tarmac and drove up to a private jet that was waiting for Gwen. Happy was the first out of the car, he walked around to Gwen's door and opened it for her, then he walked to the trunk and got her suitcase out. Gwen stayed in the car, still reading her flies on the super soldier. She didn't look away from the paperwork until Happy came back around and called her name. Gwen bolted up in shock and placed her hand on her chest.

"It's time to go."

She laughed and put the papers back into their respective folders and got out of the car. She as a man dressed in a black suit walk out of the jet and down to her and Happy.

"Doctor Brewster, it's a pleasure. I'm agent Hopkins, Alexander Pierce send me to come and take you to DC."

the agent walked over to the two, coming up to Gwen first. They shook hands and he walked over to Happy and took the handle to Gwen's rolling suitcase from him.

"Shall we get going doctor?"

Gwen looked from agent Hopkins to Happy. Happy looked over at her and smiled as he pulled her in for another hug.

"Good luck kid. Shoot me a text when you land, alright?"

"Don't worry, _dad_."

Gwen said with a smirk and Happy laughed at her.

"We care about you here, you're family. Now go see that Captain."

Happy said and pulled away from the hug and looked at Gwen.

"Bye Happy."

"Bye Gwen."

She smiled and walked over to the plane, following agent Hopkins up the staircase. Before she made that final step into the airplane, Gwen looked back at Happy, seeing him standing by the black Mercedes as she left him. Giving him one final wave, that he returned back, Gwen stepped into the plane, it was like every other jet she's been on, big and empty. She walked to about the middle of the plane and sat down in a seat that had a table next to it. Placing her purse on the seat next to her she heard the door of the jet be shut and the pilot and copilot talking in the cockpit. Gwen placed the flies on the table and was about to open the one she was reading in the car, but agent Hopkins sat down in the seat across from her, causing her to look up at him.

"We should be there in a half an hour doctor."

"Please, call me Gwen."

The agent smiled and looked down at the flies on the table. Gwen watched his eyes look over her flies. Slowly she put her hands out onto the table and started to pull the manila folders closer to her, not liking the agent looking at her personal flies of her work. The agent looked at her and smiled again.

"I'm sorry. I'm just a big fan of Captain Rogers."

"Aren't we all."

She said with a smile, still not trusting the agent that sat in front of her.

"Do you mind if I look at a file or two?"

"I do actually agent Hopkins. This is my work and Captain Rogers and I have a client confidentiality."

She said as she opened up one of the flies and held it so that only she could see it's context.

"My apologies again, Gwen."

As the agent said those words the plane lurched forward as it rolled down the tarmac to get ready for the runway. Looking down at the file in her hands Gwen saw that this was the first file she had written about Steve. This was after their first meeting.

**Walking into the office that SHIELD had set up for her, Gwen saw that indeed Steven Rogers was sitting in the chair in front of her desk. He turned his head when he heard the door open and the sound of her heels clicking on the floor beneath her feet.**

**"Captain Rogers. I'm sorry for what happened before. It wasn't my idea on how tell you."**

**Steve smiled as Gwen walked over to him and she held out her hand for him.**

**"So lets start over. I'm doctor Gwendolyn Brewster."**

**Steve stood up and took her hand in his. He looked down at her and smiled. She had a friendly face, like he knew that he could trust her. He needed that, he needed someone to trust in this new crazy world that he found himself in.**

**"Captain Steven Rogers."**

**"It's a honor to meet one of America's greatest heroes. Please take a seat."**

**Gwen said with a smile on her face. She couldn't help but smile. She was happy that Steve has seemed to be taking the news pretty well, but she knew that deep down that he was frightened beyond belief to have woken up 70 years in the future.**

**Gwen sat down in the chair that was next to Steve, she looked over at him and he looked a little shocked that she didn't take the chair behind the desk. She smiled at him and grabbed a yellow legal notepad and a ball point pen off the desk, placing them in her lap.**

**"Where do you want to start Captain?"**

The half an hour went by fast. Agent Hopkins would ask her questions every so often about what it's like living in Stark tower or what is Steve like in real life. When she wasn't answering the agent's questions Gwen was nose deep in her work. Looking over all the notes that she had taken in the last sessions she had with Steve, seeing if anything would pop out as odd. But nothing odd stood out on the paper. The last time she saw Steve he was as functional as any other person see had met in her life.

Standing up from her seat Gwen stretched out her arms and let out a yawn. Looking at her watch she saw that it was now 9:12 at night. She collected her things as agent Hopkins walked to the jet door and opened it. The pilots left the plane, but Hopkins stayed to wait for the psychologist. Walking over to the agent Gwen felt her phone in her purse buzz, but continued to walk, knowing that she'd check her messages when she was in a car.

"Would you like a chauffeur to take you to a hotel?"

"I'll take a cab. But thank you."

"Suit yourself. It's been nice to met you Gwen."

"Like wise, agent Hopkins."

"It's Jeremy."

Gwen smiled up at the agent. The was really the first time she looked up at him as he smiled. He had a warm smile, she also noticed that he wasn't half bad looking either. He looked a lot like a suit model she'd see during fashion week in New York. Jeremy had a light beard forming around his face and his dark brown hair had looked to be freshly cut. Now that she thought about it Jeremy had a certain swagger about him that reminded her Tony Stark, just turned down a few hundred notches.

"Jeremy, thank you for your company. It's nice to have someone to talk while I'm looking over my work."

The agent smiled again and he looked out down onto the tarmac. There was a black SUV waiting for the two of them. Gwen looked out seeing the car as well. Jeremy held out his arm, indicating for her to go first.

"Ladies first."

Gwen laughed and went to grab hold of her suitcase that was next to Jeremy, but he stopped her hand.

"I got it."

"Thank you."

She said with a smile and walked past him and down the stairs. Jeremy followed her and walked with her over to the SUV. Gwen walked over to the left side back seat door, opening it she got into the seat and made herself comfortable. Jeremy went to the trunk and lifted Gwen's suitcase into the SUV, then he walked around the car to join Gwen in the back seats of the car.

"Where to?"

The driver asked when Jeremy's door shut behind him. Gwen looked up from her lap and spoke.

"Could you take me to the front of the airport please."

The driver looked at her in the rearview mirror and nodded. He took the SUV out of park and moved his hands along the steering wheel. As the car drove Gwen dug in her purse for her phone, when she found it she hit the unlock/ lock button and saw that she had six unread messages. Four from Tony, one from Pepper, and one from Happy. She let a smile come to her face as she looked at the screen in her hands. She didn't read any of them or respond, thinking it would be best when she was by herself. Turning her phone off Gwen looked over at Jeremy to see that he was doing the same thing she was just doing. His face was lit up by his phone screen and he to was smiling at whatever was on the screen.

As soon as the car ride started it ended. Looking out the window Gwen saw that they were in front of the airport. Looking over at Jeremy seeing that he had his hand on the handle of the door, ready to get out and help her with her bag.

"Jeremy it's fine. I got it."

He smiled and moved his hand off the handle.

"Again, it was a pleasure to meet you."

"It was nice to meet you too Jeremy. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Gwen opened her door and hopped out. Walking around to the trunk she fagged down a cab before she got her bag out. A yellow Prius pulled up behind the SUV as she opened the truck, grabbing the side handle on the luggage Gwen pulled the somewhat heavy bag out of the car and placed it on the ground. When she closed the trunk door she took the plastic handle in her hand and rolled the suitcase to the back of the Prius. The driver got out and helped her with the bag and told her she could go into the car. She smiled at the mid aged man and thanked him for his help. Getting into the car Gwen felt her phone buzz again, she groaned knowing that it was Tony. When she sat down she pulled her phone out and looked to see that indeed it was Tony.

_Are you okay? Do I need to come and find you?! -Tony_

She rolled her eyes to look at the other six messages on her phone.

_Why are you not here? -Tony_

What does JARVIS mean by you left? Where are you? -Tony

Can you text Tony so he can stop freaking out? How you're having a nice trip :) -Pepper

THE HELL ARE YOU!? -Tony

I'm going to look at the surveillance footage. -Tony

Have you gotten to DC yet? -Happy

She decided to text Tony first so he could stop making everyone in the tower's life a living hell.

_To: Tony- In DC to work with Steve. I should be back in a week._

To: Happy- Just landed a few minutes ago. In a cab off to see Steve.

Gwen looked up from her phone when she heard a door open and close. The driver had gotten back into his seat and was ready to take her where she wanted to go.

"Where to miss?"

"3rd and Lakeside, please."

The driver nodded and typed the street names into the GPS that was on the dash of the car next to the price meter. With the address in the GPS he pulled the Prius out onto the street and drove towards the exit of the airport.

Gwen didn't pull out her flies on the ride to Steve's apartment, she rested her head against the window and watched as the lights of nation's capital went by. She wanted to close her eyes and sleep but she knew that could be done when she got to Steve's. After a 25 minute taxi cab ride the Prius pulled up to the front of Steve's apartment building. The driver turned around to look at Gwen and then took a double look at the meter.

"That will be $46. 50."

Gwen drove into her purse, this time looking for her wallet. Pulling out her dark green and gold wallet she opened it up and went through her paper money that was on the left pocket. She pulled out two twenty dollar bills and four five dollars and handed it to him through the small window that separate the front and the back seats.

"Keep the change. You have a good night."

"Thank you miss. You too."

Getting out of the cab Gwen went to the back and opened the trunk pulling out her suitcase. When she stood on the sidewalk the Prius pulled away from the curb and off into the night. Gwen pulled on the suitcase's handle and up to the apartment building. Walking up the front steps she stopped and looked around the street. There was nobody there, but she felt a pair of eyes on her somewhere. She shrugged her shoulders and continued into the building. When she was inside changed from holding the plastic handle to the fabric on on the side of of the black suitcase. Walking over to the stairs she started to ascend up the staircase to the fifth floor. As she walked she heard someone coming up the stairs behind her. Looking back she saw a young woman with blonde hair wearing pink nurse scrubs.

"Kate. Hi."

She looked up the stairs to see the older dark haired woman.

"Gwen. What are you doing here?"

"Just visiting for a while. Is Steve home?"

"Yeah, he just got home before I went down to do my laundry."

Gwen nodded and waited for Kate to catch up with the on the stairs. When Kate was right behind her she started to climb the stairs again.

"How's New York?"

"It's okay. For the last week or so I've been waist deep in paperwork so I haven't been out on the town that much."

Kate let out a small laugh as they walked.

"How's the sick people of Washington DC?"

"They're okay. I just finished in the infectious disease ward."

"Gross. Maybe I shouldn't have waited for you."

Kate laughed at Gwen and they finally came to the fifth floor. Kate went to her door that was right off the stairs and Gwen walked down the short hallway to Steve's apartment door.

"Have a good night Kate."

"You too Gwen. Night."

Kate unlocked her door and went inside. Gwen wasn't far from Steve's door and she could hear music from Steve's record player inside. She walked up to the door and knocked three times, hard and hopefully loud enough for him to hear over the 1940s music.

"Steve? It's Gwen."

She called and then the door opened fast and two strong hands pulled her into the apartment. Gwen was pulled into Steve's dark and for the moment loud apartment and was pushed against the wall by Steve.

"The hell?"

She yelled as she hit the wall and glared daggers up into Steve. He was looking down at her and a look of worry and confusion as on his face.

"Gwen what the hell are you doing here?"

Steve said trying to keep his voice down in the loud apartment. He let go of her and took a few steps back, giving her room to walk away from the wall.

"Alexander Pierce called me saying I need to take a look at you."

Steve looked at her then turned to look into the living room. Gwen looked pasted him to see Nick Fury in the chair in the corner. Her jaw dropped, he was hurt and badly.

"Did you know about this?"

Steve asked Fury talking a few steps towards the living room. Gwen stayed rooted to the spot, she had never seen Nick Fury like this before in her whole life. It looked like he was hit by a truck.

"No I didn't."

Fury said standing up. Gwen watched the older man walk in pain.

"Who else knows about your wife?"

Steve asked, clearly picking back up on the conversation that was at hand before Gwen arrived.

"Just my friends."

"Is that what we are?"

Fury paused and looked from Steve to Gwen. A small smirk formed on his face as he looked at the two and he held up his phone showing both Steve and Gwen a message: YOU AND ME

"That's up to you."

Gwen was about to say something but three loud shots rang out in the apartment and Gwen let out a scream as Steve grabbed her, putting her behind his body. Gwen opened her eyes to see that Fury was on floor. Pushing past Steve, she ran to the director's side. Dropping down to her knees she looked at the man on the floor. Steve hurried over to them and looked down at them. Fury held up his hand for Steve and handed him whatever was in his hand.

"Don't trust anyone."


	2. SHIELD Has Been Compromised

Fury was in surgery. Steve stood at the observation window looking on as the doctors operated on Fury. Gwen sat on the other side of the room and looked at the floor, her hands were on her face. The moment that Fury was shot kept playing itself over and over in her mind. When her eyes were open it played. When they were shut it played. She couldn't get away from it.

She looked up hearing the sound of fast footsteps coming towards the room, Natasha ran into the room and straight for the window. Her eyes frantically watching the doctors every move. Gwen just looked at the window, not really looking at anything, it was more interesting than the floor.

"Is he going to make it?"

Natasha asked when she stood next to Steve. The large super soldier looked down at the smaller red haired woman.

"I don't know."

"Tell me about the shooter."

Natasha ordered, her voice was something Gwen had only come out of her mouth a few times before, her voice was full of raw emotion. It sounded like despair and she was losing hope.

"He's fast. Strong. Had a metal arm."

Maria Hill walked back into the room, she had been in and out several times before. She walked up to the window and stood next to Natasha, doing what they were doing. Gwen felt someone standing next to her she looked up to see Brock Rumlow standing above her. He looked down at her and placed his hand on her shoulder. Nothing was said between the two, they both exchanged looks then looked back to the window.

"Ballistics?"

The assassin asked Fury's right hand woman when she got to the window.

"Three slugs, no rifling. Completely untraceable."

"Soviet-made."

Natasha said with a cold sting in her words. Maria looked over at her with a look of shock on her face.

"Yeah."

"Defibrillator!"

The doctor yelled in the operating room. Gwen shot up from her chair and walked towards the window. Just then Jasper Sitwell walked into the room looking on at the scene playing out behind the glass. Gwen stood next to Rumlow with her hand on her chest clutching her necklace and shirt collar. The six watched as the doctors and nurses seemed to run around with their heads cut off trying to save Fury.

"Don't do this to me, Nick."

Gwen heard Natasha mumbled under her breath. Gwen looked over at the former KGB agent and watched her as she looked at one the only people she trusted dyed in front of her eyes. She now looked at the man on the table in the operating room for the first time. Tears came to her eyes as she watched the lights from his slowly leave his.

"No pulse."

"Don't do this to me. Don't do this to me, Nick."

Natasha said louder as the doctor stepped away from Fury with a sad look in his eyes.

"What is the time?"

"1:03, doctor."

"Time of death, 1:03."

More tears came to Gwen's brown eyes as the words were said. Turning her head away from the window she felt Rumlow wrap his arm around her, pulling her into his side.

"It's okay."

He said quietly into her hair. Gwen couldn't move. She had watched a man that she trusted with her life be shot and killed. To her, and maybe to many, Fury seemed like the kind of man who would live forever.

Steve looked away from the window and saw Gwen in the arms of Rumlow. He locked eyes with Rumlow and shot dangers into the man who had one of his best friends wrapped tightly in his arms.

"Come on, let's get you a coffee."

Rumlow said to Gwen and walked out of the room with her still in his arms. They walked down the hallway of the hospital together. He walked Gwen to the waiting area where there was a coffee maker. Gwen stood off to the side next to a wall as the agent made her a cup of coffee. He poured the hot liquid into a small paper cup, then he put a lid on the cup and walked over to Gwen, handing her the cup. Taking the first sip of drink and smiled.

"Mmmm, thanks Brock, you remembered how I like"

He smiled and took another step towards her, coming into her personal bubble and backing Gwen into the wall behind her.

"That one of many things I remember you like."

Gwen looked up at Brock with a redden face to see he was smirking at her. She felt Brock's hands rest on her hips and lightly move up and down.

"I've missed you, sweetheart."

"Brock... "

She said with a hint of shyness in her voice as she looked up at Brock.

"You know we can't."

Brock let out a chuckle and smiled down at her.

"You say that every time."

As he said that he moved his hands farther up Gwen's sides. Squirming at Brock's touch Gwen tried to back away from him but the wall behind her stopped her dead in her tracks. She couldn't stop looking up into Brock's eyes. He moved his mouth to say something but Steve's voice stopped him.

"Am I interrupting something?"

Gwen and Brock both looked over to see Steve standing less than a few feet away from them. Brock dropped his hands as he looked at the super soldier. Gwen turned a deeper shade of red as she took a few steps over towards Steve. She didn't look up at the captain as she walked past him back down the hallway. Neither Brock or Steve moved or looked away from each other.

Steve was the first to walk away, he walked down the hallway after Gwen. He saw her near the door where they were just a few moments ago. Steve was about to jog up to her, but Hill stepped out in front of him.

"I need to talk with you."

Steve looked past the woman to see Gwen sitting down in a chair across the hall from the observation room. Looking back at the agent in front of him he nodded and followed her to a back room.

Feeling someone shake her shoulders Gwen opened her eyes to see Steve kneeling down in front of her. Gwen yawned and rubbed her eyes with her hands, sitting up straight she watched as Steve stood up and tower over her.

"What time is it?"

"Around five. I need to talk to you."

Gwen stood up and Steve took a hold on her arm and looked around the hallway seeing that they were no one in ear shot of them.

"What do you want Steve?"

"I need you to go somewhere safe."

"Safe? What do you-"

"Will you listen. I need you to stay safe until I come and get you."

Gwen rolled her eyes up at Steve, which made him rolled his eyes at her.

"Listen Gwen, I'm not sure on what is going to happen in the next few days, but I need you to get off the grid until I come for you."

"Where do you want me to go Steve? Back to New York?"

"No. I have a friend, Sam Wilson. He works down at the VA. I want you to go and find him, please Gwen. I don't want to lose you."

Gwen crossed her arms over her chest and looked up at Steve, the look in his eyes were sincere and caring.

"Fine, I'll go get my things."

Gwen pulled Steve's hands away from her and she started to walk away.

"Gwen,"

Stopping in her tracks she turned to look at Steve. He had walked the few feet over to her and grabbed one of her hands. Gwen looked down at their conjoined hands then back up at Steve, with a questioning look on her face.

"Remember what Fury said."

Again the scene from last night replayed in her head. Fury laying on the floor with blood seeming to come from everywhere, and his last words rolling off his lips, "Don't trust anyone." She nodded at Steve and pulled away from him. As her hand left his she felt something in her hand that wasn't there before. Taking one last look at Steve he gave her a nodded. Turning around Gwen walked down the hallway that was crawling with SHIELD agents and members of STRIKE force.

As she walked away Natasha came storming down the hall at her and over to Steve. Gwen couldn't hear what was being said as she walked away but she continued to walk until she was stopped by a body standing in front of her. Looking up she saw Brock in her way.

"I'm not finished with you, I hope you know that."

He told her grabbing her by her hips, pulling her roughly into his frame. Gwen looked up at him, catching his eyes, then looking down again. As Brock held her he's radio went off, whoever was on the other line was telling him that he need to get his ass back to headquarters.

"Not now Brock. I just need some air. Besides, it seems you have other places to be."

Gwen pushed his hands off of her and walked the rest of the way down the hall. She felt Brock's eyes burn into her back as she walked.

"Cap, they want you back at SHIELD."

Brock called to Steve. Gwen looked down at her hands and saw a little piece of paper that Steve had left in her hand. Quickly looking back at Steve Gwen caught his eye and nodded at him. Steve gave her a quick short nodded and looked at Brock.

"Give me a second."

"May I help you?"

A pretty blonde woman said from behind the front desk when Gwen walked into the VA. Gwen's brown eyes went to her and a small smile grew on her lips.

"Yes, I'm looking for Sam Wilson. Is he here?"

The woman was about to answer when a male voice from behind Gwen made her stop.

"You're looking for me?"

Gwen turned around and came face to face with the darker skinned man. He was dressed in a pair of dark washed fitted jeans, a dark blue tight fitted v neck shirt, and some kind of black shoes.

"Hi, I'm Gwen. I am friends with Captain Rogers."

Sam crossed his arms and listened. He wasn't too sure in were Gwen was going with this. Gwen looked around the hallway, as if she was waiting for an agent of SHIELD to walk around the corner and shoot her.

"He told me to come and find you and that I need to stay with you."

Sam took another step forward and looked down at Gwen with an intensity in his eyes.

"Is everything okay?"

Gwen looked down at her hands, she opened her left hand and held out the crumpled piece of paper for Sam to take. He looked down at her hand and took the paper from it. Slowly he unfolded it and saw Steve's handwriting on the page: SHIELD has been compromised.

"He said you would be the person to go to."

"Come with me."

Sam said Gwen nodded and followed him out of the VA and into the parking lot.

"Did he say anything else?"

"He'll come and get me when it's safe."


	3. Guilt and Regret

Gwen sat on Sam's couch and looked at the file in her hand. It again was about Steve. This one she wrote notes from the day that she convinced Steve to go visit Peggy Carter in her assisted living home. Steve was against it at first, but Gwen saw that he wanted to see her. He wanted to see the last person who heard him speak his last words in 1945. She was his best girl, and nothing ever was going to change that, not even 70 years.

**Stopping the car Gwen looked over at Steve. His face was looking down at his feet, not at where they had stopped, because he knew where she had taken him. Gwen unclipped her seatbelt and placed her hand on Steve's shoulder. **

"**Steve, you need to go up and see her. I'll come with you if you want. You need this." **

"**Need what? More proof that the life I once had is slowly slipping away. Gwen she was the last person to hear me in 1945. I bet you she thinks I'm dead or that she wouldn't even remember who I am."**

"**Do you really believe that Steve? There is no way that she forgot who you are. Now come on." **

**Gwen removed her hand from Steve's shoulder and got out of the car. Walking around the car she saw Steve did get out of the car. His head was still down and not looking around at his surroundings, something that was very unlike Steve. When Gwen stood next to Steve she put her hand in his and gave it a squeeze. Steve looked down at her and saw the small smile that was on her face. **

"**Everything will be alright Steve. Don't worry." **

**Letting go of Steve's hand, the two walked into the building and to the front desk, where Gwen informed the middle aged women at the desk who they were here to see. **

"**Yes, I'll have someone take you down to see her now." **

**Gwen smiled and thanked her. Turning her attention back to Steve, she saw that now he was looking into the room just next door. In that room was a handful of 90 and 80 something year olds. Some were sitting down talking to men and women dressed in nurse uniforms, other were sitting at tables playing card games with one another. Gwen's face fell when she saw Steve's face as he looked at them. **

"**That should be me."**

"**Steve, you did what you did to save the world. No one will ever look down on you for that. You sacrificed everything for everyone. " **

**Steve was about to say something else when a young nurse with red curly hair walked up to them.**

"**I'm Claire, I'll take you to see Peggy." **

**Gwen smiled at the nurse and pulled on Steve's arm to follower her and Claire. As they walked deeper and deeper into the building Gwen noticed that Claire kept taking glances back at Steve. Finally it seemed that Claire had enough, she stopped and turned to fully face Gwen and Steve. **

"**Are you Steve Rogers?" **

**She asked looking up at Steve. He was a little taken back at the intensity of Claire's words. He looked over at Gwen why just looked back over at Claire, she actions reminded him of a mother saying "This nice lady asked you a question, you should give her an answer." **

"**Yes, I am." **

"**Oh, my God. Peggy always talks about you. She's told me so many stories of you and her when she was in the war." **

**The way Claire talked about the stories that Peggy told made her eyes light up. Not only did Claire's eyes light up but so did Steve's. He found a reason to go and see Peggy. **

"**She does? Where is she?" **

**Steve asked now having a frantic look in his eyes as looked down at the nurse, waiting to hear where his old friend was. **

"**Just down the hall. Room 342." **

**When the number left her lips Steve took off like a speeding bullet to find Peggy. Gwen let out a laugh as she watched Steve. **

"**I'll call if anything happens." **

**Gwen said to Claire as she saw Steve stop in front of a door. **

"**I'll be down here if you need anything." **

**Gwen nodded and hurried down the hall to Steve. When she got to him she stood behind him and watched him. He stood there looking at the door number, his hand was up and ready to knock, all he needed to do was let his hand drop against the wooden door. **

"**Go on Steve. It's okay." **

**Steve took in a breath and knocked on the door. They heard a faint woman's voice from the other side say 'come in'. Steve grabbed hold of the handle and opened the door. Gwen followed Steve into the room, inside there was a large window on the opposite wall and queen sized bed with two bedside tables with pictures on it. On the bed was a elderly woman with grey curled hair. It was Peggy Carter. Gwen glanced down at the file that she held close to her chest, there was a picture of Peggy from 1945 paper clipped on the outside of it. Steve couldn't say anything so Gwen took the steps forward so that she was standing next to the bed. **

"**Mrs. Carter, I'm doctor Gwendolyn Brewster." **

**Peggy looked up at Gwen and smiled. **

"**Hello, doctor. You have such a beautiful name."**

**Gwen smiled and looked quickly back at Steve, then back at Peggy.**

"**Thank you." **

"**What can I do for you?" **

"**Well, I am here to introduce you to someone." **

**Peggy's eyes lit up when Gwen told her that some else would be joining them. **

"**You might remember him. Steve?" **

**Gwen said looking back at Steve. He hadn't looked away from Peggy since they entered the room. When Steve locked eyes with Gwen he took a few steps forward, and Gwen looked back at Peggy. **

**The older woman looked up at Steve when he stood at her bedside. Her face dropped and her eyes filled with tears. **

"**Steve. Is that you?" **

**Steve looked like he was about to cry as Peggy said her name. **

"**Yeah, it's me Peggy." **

**He said sitting down on the chair that was next to her bed. Gwen felt like she was going to cry as well.**

"**Steve, I'll be out in the hall." **

**Gwen said holding back the tears as she walked backwards towards the door. When she stood with her back to the door she took one last look at the two. Peggy held onto Steve's hand, she could tell that Steve was crying. **

"**You're alive. After all this time?" **

"**Yeah, I couldn't leave my best girl." **

**Gwen had enough. She opened the door and hurried into the hallway. Holding onto her chest she let out a loud, long sigh. She whipped the tears from her eyes and closed her eyes. This was for the best, she knew that Steve needed to to see Peggy, whether or not he was ready for it. It was a step into the right direction. **

"Gwen! Hey!"

Looking up from her papers she saw Sam standing in front of her with the TV remote in his hand.

"What?"

"God, I thought you were dead or something. Have you seen this?"

He asked pointing to his TV that was on the news channel. She looked at the screen and saw that there was a breaking news story on. The picture behind the news anchor was of a area that was on fire and has been blown up.

"Camp Lehigh in New Jersey went up in flames last night. No one was quite such what happened until just a few moments ago we were informed that the explosion was caused by a gas leakage in the old abandoned mess hall on the base. No one was hurt in the explosion. Back to you Ross."

Sam turned the TV off and looked down at Gwen. Her eyes went from the TV screen to Sam seeing he was in his running clothes.

"I'll be back in a hour. Lock up behind me would ya?"

"Sure thing."

Sam nodded and put the remote on the coffee table then left the room. Gwen placed Steve's folder on the coffee table and leaned back against the couch, she looked up at the ceiling and sighed. It had been two days since she saw Steve, she wasn't worried but she just wanted to know what was going on. What was going on before she arrived at Steve's apartment? What was going on with Steve that made her come down here?

Gwen let out a sigh, she had an hour before Sam came back from his run. She lifted up arm and smelt her armpit. She moved her nose away when she smelt herself, she could have smelled slowly got off the couch and walked to Sam's bedroom. As she walked she removed her pajamas and went into his bathroom. In the bathroom she walked into Sam's glass walk in shower. Turing the hot water faucet on, feeling the hot water rain down on her, Gwen let out a happy sigh. Her muscles were stiff since the night she was at the hospital. If she could stay in the shower and hide from the world for the rest of her life, she would. When she finished at Harvard she would have never thought that she would be the therapist for the Avengers. She thought she would have been working with children whose parents were getting divorced, not superheroes whose been brainwashed by Norse gods.

Gwen stood in the shower and cleaned herself, she had lost track of time and when she turned the water off she heard voices coming from somewhere else in the apartment. Sticking her head out of the shower, Gwen saw a towel folded on the sink counter, she grabbed and wrapped it around her wet naked body. Walking over to the door she opened it and heard Sam's voice, along with Steve and Natasha's. Not caring that she was only in a towel Gwen walked out into the living room and saw Sam, Steve, and Natasha standing in the living room.

"The hell Steven!?"

Steve's head bolted upright and saw Gwen standing there dripping wet in a towel. He face turned red and he looked the other way.

"Gwen go put some clothes on."

"What the hell? What happened to you? Why the hell was Fury at your apartment?"

Gwen yelled not caring about how she looked. She had waited long enough for answers and she was sick of not knowing what was going on.

"Gwen, just go get dressed and I'll explain. I promise."

Gwen glared at him one last time and then looked over at Natasha for the first time.

"Hey Nat."

"Hi Gwen."

With that she turned on her heels and walked back into Sam's room, slamming the door shut when she entered.

"Are you guys…"

Sam asked pointing to Steve then towards his bedroom door. Steve's face turned a deep shade of red then it already was. Natasha let out a laugh and snook her head.

"That's a great idea. Why don't you ask out Gwen. You two are perfect."

"What is with you and my love life?"

Steve asked as he looked over at the Russian, who just shrugged her shoulders.

"I have to have fun at some point don't I?"

Then Sam's bedroom door opened and Gwen came out fully clothed. She wore brown pants with a royal blue blouse. Her hair was still wet and clumped together but for Steve it was better than her just in a towel.

"Alright spill your guts."

Gwen said walking over to Steve and sitting down next to him on the coach.

"Can't I get cleaned up first?"

"Let the man breath, Gwen. Just come help me make some food, alright. Then we can sit and he can tell you everything you need to know."

Sam suggested as he walked into the kitchen. Gwen glared at Steve as she stood up and followed Sam.

"You're lucky Rogers."

* * *

><p>Steve laughed and stood up as well. Him and Natasha went into Sam's bedroom to clean themselves up.<p>

"The question is, who at SHIELD could launch a domestic missile strike?"

Natasha asked as she placed her dirty dishes by the sink. Sam took her dishes and started to wash them as Steve and Gwen sat at the table.

"Pierce."

"Oh, my God. And he was the one who sent me down here."

Gwen said and Steve looked over at his friend seeing that her face was now lined with worry. On the inside he was thinking the same thing that she was probably thinking, what did Pierce want with her?

"Who happens to be sitting on top of the most secure building in the world."

Natasha said walking over to the empty chair at the table and placing her hands on the back of it, looking at the two in front of her.

"He's not working alone. Zola's algorithm was on the Lemurian Star."

"And so was Jasper Sitwell."

Steve moved his head back in frustration. There were too many questions and not enough answers on this. All he knew for sure was that SHIELD was now and has always been the enemy.

"So, the real question is, how do the two most wanted people in Washington kidnap a SHIELD officer in broad daylight?"

Sam looked over at the super solider and a light bulb went off in his head. He put the plate down and walked over to the countertop where he had left a file. When he had it he walked over to the group around his kitchen table and dropped it in the center of it.

"The answer is, you don't"

Gwen smiled when she saw the file. Sam had her look over it the other and asked if he could be of anymore help to Steve. After she looked it over she wanted to tell Steve about it. He would of great help to them, even if they weren't sure on what just yet.

She looked up at Sam and caught his eyes, she smiled at him and he returned it then looked at Steve who was looking at the file along with Natasha.

"What's this?"

He asked not yet opening it. Natasha grabbed the large printed photo that was on top and studied it for a couple of seconds.

"Call it a resume."

"Is this Bakhmala? The Khalid Khandi mission, that was you?"

Sam gave her a small nodded and she headed the photo to Steve. He looked down at the picture and saw a man standing next to Sam wearing the same uniform as him. Remembering the convention they had a few days before, he knew that the man beside him was his wingman.

"You didn't say he was a Pararescue."

"Is this Riley?"

"Yeah."

"I heard they couldn't bring in the choppers because of the RPGs. What did you use? A stealth chute?"

Natasha added as her and Steve continued to look at the picture. Sam smirked and took the file from Steve's hands and opened it, placing it back on the table.

"No. These."

Steve was blown away at what he saw. A jet pack with large metal wings. This was something that they for sure didn't have in the Air Force back in 1945.

"I thought you said you were a pilot."

"I never said I was a pilot."

Sam smirked again and crossed his arms over his chest as he watch the two take in what he used to do.

"I can't ask you to do this, Sam. You got out for a good reason."

"Dude, Captain America is asking me for his help. There's no better reason to get back in."

Smiling Steve handed Natasha the file and looked back at Sam and Gwen.

"Where can we get our hands on one of these things?"

"The last one is at Fort Meade. Behind three guarded gates and a 12- inch steel wall."

Natasha shrugged her shoulder and looked at Steve, as if she was telling him that it was no big deal.

"Shouldn't be a problem. Gwen I'm going to want you to stay here."

"Here? You have got to be shitting me Steve."

Gwen said standing up from her seat and looking Steve dead in the eye.

"I want to help."

"Well, no offence Gwen-"

"What? I'm not a spy or a super soldier. But, Steve I'm not helpless. I know what I'm doing. Clint and Natasha have shown me some moves, I know my way around a gun like an ex army officer. I'm not helpless, Steve."

Steve hung his head and looked over at Natasha, who had a smile on her face.

"The girl isn't half bad. She's done some MMA and she was a gymnast. She's right about a gun, the only better I've seen is myself."

"What's the worst that could happen?"

Sam added in and Steve looked over at him with a look of annoyance on his face.

"She could die."

"Don't talk about me like I'm not even here, Steve. Like I said I'm helping weather you like it or not. Fury told us not to trust anyone, the ones that we do trust we can't leave them behind. We have to stick together."

Steve looked over at her. Gwen had her hands on her hip and her brown eyes locked on him in a death stare.

"I'm going."

When Gwen said those two words Steve saw Bucky falling from the train flash before his eyes. He wasn't going to lose another one of his friends because they followed him into battle.

Steve let out a sigh and looked at Gwen again with a small weak smile.

"What are we waiting for?"

Gwen smiled and turned to high five Sam. Steve took one last look at the file Sam had given him and nodded. Between himself, Natasha, and Sam Gwen was going to be alright.

"Let's go get that creep."

Gwen said walking out of the kitchen with Sam by her side. Steve smiled and looked over at Natasha, who had a smile on herself as well.

"We need all the help we can get, Rogers."

With that Natasha left his side and walked into the living room where Sam and Gwen disappeared to. Steve stood by himself and looked down at the picture of Sam and Riley once more.

"**We all have the same problems. Guilt. Regret." **

"**You lose someone?"**

"**My wingman, Riley. Flying a night mission. Stander PJ reuse op. Until an RGP knocked Riley's dumb ass out of the sky. Nothing I could do. It's like I was there just to watch."**

**Author's Note: **

**Wow. I am amazing even myself! Three chapter in less than 24 hours?! Fuck, man I'm on a roll!**

Chapter Four on it's way!

**I love you all for reading and liking this! Leave a review below, favorite and or follow this, all the jazz!**


	4. The Man on the Bridge

Sitting in the car Gwen waited as for Sam to get Sitwell. She looked at her phone seeing that Steve had texted her that him and Natasha were coming back from Fort Meade with Sam's jetpack wings thing. From her phone screen she turned her head and looked out the back windshield to see Sitwell and Sam walking dangerously close behind him.

Sam walked Sitwell over to the car and opened the door for him. The agent sat down and looked over at Gwen and she just smiled at him and moved the gun that sat on her lap, Sitwell moved his eyes down to see the gun. He groaned and moved his head back onto the headrest. Sam got in the driver's seat and pulled out of the parking spot. As Sam drove every now and again he'd look back at Sitwell and Gwen, she's give him a look and he's laugh to himself. After driving for few minutes the car pulled into a gas station.

"Stay in the car."

Sam told Gwen as he opened his door and got out.

"Get me some food, I'm hungry!"

Gwen heard him laugh before the door shut. Her brown eyes looked over at Sitwell, who was just looking at the seat in front of him. She looked away and she felt him looking over at her, she looked over again, and he was looking at the seat again.

"Do you have something you want to say?"

Gwen asked loudly, Sitwell turning his head to look at Gwen again and just smirked.

"What?"

"What are you doing out here?"

"Coming from a guy who just sits at a desk all day."

"You a psychologist, at least I've had training. You're going to get yourself killed out here."

"And you wouldn't?"

"Are you ready for what's going to happen here, Gwendolyn? I'll bet my life you aren't."

Gwen was fuming. She wanted to take his bald head and beat it against the window until it shattered. Her grip on the gun in her lap grew tighter as she let Sitwell's words sink in. He let out a small chuckled and moved his body in the seat. Looking out of the corner of her eye she saw Sitwell smiling to himself. She was about to say something else when the passenger door opened and Steve got into the car, it made Gwen jump in her seat, then she heard a tapping on her window, looking over she saw Natasha. Gwen opened her door and scooted over on the back seat so the Russian could get into the car.

The four waited for Sam to get back into the car. No one had said a word. Gwen could feel Natasha's eyes on her, looking to her right she caught Natasha looking. She gave her a small smile and looked away. Just then, Sam got back into the car and threw something into Gwen's lap when he sat down. Gwen's eyes went to her lap and saw a blue bag of Lay's salt and vinegar potato chips. Seeing the chips made Gwen smile, immediately she picked up the bag, opening it, and taking a handful of chips into her mouth.

"Love you, Sam."

Sam laughed and put the car into drive.

"Where are we going?"

Sitwell asked as they drove down the road. Gwen's head whipped to her left to look at the smug son of a bitch sitting next to her.

"We're the ones who ask questions."

Sitwell put his hands up in surrender and smirked at Gwen. She was about to say something when Sam stepped on the breaks and Steve and Natasha got out of the car. Steve walked around the car, opened Sitwell's door and pulled him out.

"We're going to take a little walk."

Steve told the agent. When the door shut Gwen went to get out of the car but Sam hit the lock button on the steering wheel and the doors locked itself.

"Sam."

"Just wait here. Watch the car to make sure SHIELD isn't onto us. I'll be just a minute."

Gwen groaned and took another handful of chips into her mouth. Sam laughed again and got out of the car. She heard him walk to the trunk and grabbed something out of it, and closed it.

Sitting by herself Gwen pulled her phone out again and unlocked it. Nothing new had popped up, she just looked down at a screen that had a page full of apps covering a picture of her and few friends out at her last birthday party. Gwen was at the center of picture, a fuzzy pink tiara that said 'Birthday Girl' was on her head. There were four other girls in the picture, all of them looked around the same age and their hair colours varied from platinum blonde to raven black. They were all holding up shot glasses filled with tequila and their faces were almost all the same, like they were laughing their asses off having a good time. The four other girls in the picture were Gwen's closest friends outside of her work world. The blonde one was Jennifer, blonde with blue tips was Ronda, the redhead was Macey, and the black haired girl was Abigail. They were her girls, she would tell them everything, these girls were her therapist. The five girls had gone through so much together and they were going to keep it that way. Turning her phone off she finished the bag of chips and waited for everyone to come back.

* * *

><p>"HYDRA doesn't like leaks."<p>

"Then why don't you try sticking a cork in it?"

"Insight's launching in 16 hours. We're cutting it a little bit close here."

"I know. We'll use him to bypass the DNA scans and access the helicarriers directly."

"What? Are you crazy? That is a terrible, terrible idea."

A loud thud came from the roof of the Chevy then the left back window was broken and Sitwell was thrown out the hole and into the oncoming traffic. Gwen let out a scream and Natasha pushed her to the floor of the car, then she jumped over the seats and into Steve's lap. Bullets came piecing threw the roof and into the headrests of the front seats. The Chevy was thrown into park and Gwen's head whipped forward hitting the seat. Above she heard something roll off the roof. Gwen sat up and looked forward to see a man with a metal arm standing up on the road in front of them.

"Steve?"

Gwen called from the floor. Steve quickly looked back at her, then something hit the car going full speed from behind. Another scream came from Gwen as the car behind them kept moving towards the man with the metal arm. She went to grab her gun, but saw it wasn't on her lap. Frantically she looked around and saw it by her feet, grabbing it so cocked it back and lifted herself into the back seat. When she was on the leather seat she watched as the metal armed man flipped in front of the car and then another thud came from the roof. The man's feet flew into the back windshield and Gwen was in a shower of glass. Sam dropped his foot to the floor and the car tried to come to a halt and he moved the wheel to try and get away from the Hummer that was pushing them along the highway. The metal arm came crashing thru the windshield and took the steering wheel with it.

"Shit!"

Gwen held up her gun and fired it up at the roof. Natasha did the same but the man jumped back to the Hummer, then the Chevy was freed from them. Now driving blind and the Hummer still a few feet away, Gwen looked back and saw the man on the hood of the grey Hummer. She went to shoot again but the edge of the Hummer lightly clipped the Chevy sending the car into the cement road blockers.

"Gwen!"

Steve yelled at her, she looked at him and saw him reaching for her. She moved closer to him and he pulled her into his lap along with Natasha.

"Hold on!"

Steve yelled and everyone in the car looked to him and grabbed for whatever piece of him they could. Gwen wrapped her arms around his middle, Sam grabbed onto Steve's arm, and Steve held onto Natasha with his free hand.

The car started to roll and Steve pushed all of their combined weight against the downward facing door, causing them to drop to the asphalt and the car to barrel roll down the strip of highway. They all skidded on the car door and watched as the grey Hummer drove past them. As they slowed down Sam let go of Steve's arm and tucked and rolled on his own. The door coming to a stop Steve, Natasha, and Gwen looked up to see the Hummer screening to a halt about ten feet away. As fast as they could the three untangled themselves and stood up. The doors of the Hummer opened and the man got off the hood, a man who got out of the truck handed him what looked like a grenade launcher.

"Oh fuck."

Gwen said as she saw the metal armed man point it towards them. She was rooted to the spot and everything was in slow motion. The man fired the weapon and Steve pushed her and Natasha away and held up his shield. The grenade flew off his shield and Steve went flying off the overpass. Picking herself off the ground Gwen ran for cover by the cars on the road with Natasha close behind her. Three more men got out of the Hummer and were armed with automatic weapons and started shooting towards them.

Hiding behind a flipped over minivan Gwen tried her best to look at the shooters without getting shot herself. There were four normal looking men that were shooting at them, but the metal armed man didn't do anything but walk closer to them. Natasha got out and took a shoot or two at them, and the metal man fired another shot, hitting the car Natasha was taking cover at. Watching the car go up in flames Gwen watched as all the hostile gun slingers aimed their fire at the fleeing red haired woman. Another grenade was shot and this time it hit a car and made it flip over the bridge.

Now all the men were looking at the metal armed man. Gwen looked over to her left and saw Sam behind a white car. She ran over to him and crouched down next to him. They both glanced over each other, making sure the other was okay.

"Okay, this I didn't sign up for."

Gwen said with a small smirk on her face. Even Sam cracked a smile. He looked up just enough to see over the car and saw that one man was looking for them on this side of the road.

"We need a plan of attack."

"Sam, there is no way we can think of a plan right now. You need to get over to the car and get your wing things."

Gwen told him as she rested her head against the car. She heard people everywhere around them screaming, then more gun shots were heard. Both her and Sam stood up just enough to see all of the men shooting down at the road below them. Gwen noticed a red haired woman running away from the overpass and bullets flying after her. Letting another smirk crawl on her face Gwen watched as Natasha ran. Sam sat back down but Gwen staid not being able to look away from the man with the metallic arm. The shots stopped and he took a step towards the edge of the bridge. Putting his hand on the cement he pushed his body off the ground and over the side.

"I'm goin' in."

Sam told her patting her on the arm. She nodded and Sam crouched down and as fast as he could, made his way towards the five men on the bridge. Four of them went over the side and she heard them shooting when they made it to the ground. Moving away from her hiding spot Gwen started to run towards the Hummer that was about 40 feet away. As she ran she watched as Sam took out the last man on the bridge. With the gun in his hands he shot down off the bridge.

Making it to the Hummer and she quickly opened the trunk and saw that it was exactly what she thought, an arsenal. She grabbed everything she could. Putting a few straps over her head that was connected to Colt M4A1s and a grenade launcher. She put two handguns in her back pockets and grabbed a knife, putting it safely in her belt loop. When she was done with the Hummer she ran over to the wracked Chevy a few feet away. She saw that Sam's set of rocket wings were laying on the ground near the car. She grabbed and pack then rushed over to Sam.

"Here."

She told him as she shoved it into his hands. He looked down and smiled at it.

"Thanks. I owe you."

He told her pulling her into him and kissing her forehead. She giggled and pushed him away.

"Go get 'em."

Sam left her side and Gwen looked out over the land. Cars were flipped and on fire, people were running for their lives, and Steve was running towards the fight. Below four of the men who were shooting at them were dead. She looked down seeing a rope lead down to solid ground. Looking to the ground next to her she saw one of the men. She grabbed his hands and took the gloves off of them and put them over her own hands. With the gloves on she grabbed onto the rope and slid down and landed on top of a car.

Once she was on the ground she started off in direction she saw Steve and Natasha run. She would see Steve's blonde head bob in between cars but she didn't call for him, she just continued to run. She only stopped when a large explosion went off a hundred yards or so in front of her. She pressed her back to a Jeep and let out a breath.

"You can do this."

She told herself. With that she pushed off the Jeep and started to run again. Now she saw Natasha running away and the man with a metal arm pointing his gun towards her. It all happened so fast. He pulled the trigger and Natasha went down. Gwen watched as the man jumped on top of a car and was about to shot again, but Steve came out of no where and got his attention away from Natasha.

Gwen broke out into a sprint towards Natasha. Getting to her friend's side she saw that the bullet hit her shoulder. She got down on her knees in front of her and placed her hands on the wound, putting more pressure on it.

"Come on Nat. We gotta move."

"Gwen-"

"Come on."

Gwen snaked her arm under Natasha's and helped her to her feet. They walked over to another car and Natasha sat back down. Gwen stood up and watched Steve and the man fight. This wasn't like the fights Gwen had seen from Steve, this guy had him on the ropes.

"It's him."

Natasha said threw the pain of her shoulder. Gwen looked down at her and had a puzzled look on her face.

"Who is it?"

"The Winter Soldier. He's the one that killed Fury."

Looking from Natasha to the two men again. That was the Winter Soldier, the man that killed Nick Fury. She couldn't stop looking at him now, it was hard not to look at him. Him and Steve fought it looked more like a dance between the two. Every moved was so fluid and in a scene thought out. She didn't realize that she was watching one of her best friends get his ass handed to him until Steve threw the soldier over his back and the mask that was on his face laid on the ground.

Now it felt like time stood still. Steve didn't move when he saw the soldier's face. Gwen must have let out a gasp because Natasha stood up to look at what was happening. Gwen had seen his face before, but only his hair was shorter, he didn't have a light beard and no metal arm. It was Bucky, Steve's best friend and almost brother from 70 years ago.

"Bucky?"

"Who the hell is Bucky?"

No other word was said because Bucky was kicked to the ground by Sam. In the sky Gwen saw Sam with his jetwings on and watched as the wings collapsed and he stood on solid ground. Gwen didn't feel it but Natasha had grabbed the grenade launcher that was on her and fired it towards the soldier, not hitting her target but hitting the truck that he was in front of.

"Wait no!"

Gwen yelled pushing the it out of Natasha's hands. Russian went to yell at her but then sirens were heard all around them and black bulletproof SUVs surrounded them in seconds. Her eyes going to where she last saw the Winter Soldier, Gwen only saw a cloud of smoke, he was gone.

She also didn't feel the man come up behind her until his hands were around her and dragging her towards where Steve was on the ground on his knees with his hands in the air.

"Look who I found."

Gwen's eyes went from her friend who had a gun to his head to the man who was standing behind him.

"Brock."

The man smiled as the man shoved Gwen towards him. Quickly he grabbed onto her arm and pulled her into his chest. Gwen tried her best to push him away, but his grip on her grew tighter.

"Aw, come on, sweetheart. You don't have to be like that."

"Go to hell, Rumlow."

Gwen spat as she glared daggers into him. Brock's cocky smirk fell from his face and now it was replaced with a look of disappointment.

"Have it your way, sweetheart."

In a matter of seconds Gwen felt a sharp pain shoot through her lower abdomen. She let out a scream and dropped to the ground with her right hand grabbing onto her stomach. Looking up she saw that Brock held a bloody knife in his hand as he looked down at her.

Hearing Gwen's scream brought Steve from the thousand year stare he was in. He looked to his left and saw Gwen on the ground with blood dripping from her.

"Gwen!"

"You picked the wrong side, sweetheart."

All four of them were taken to a armored SUV and put in a pair of high tech handcuffs. Gwen sat next to Steve and across from Natasha. She pushed her hands onto the spot that Brock had stabbed her and leaned her head back against the wall. Two men dressed in all black body armor and a face mask sat down in the front and stood guard as the SUV began to drive.

"Are you okay, Gwen?"

Sam asked looking over at the young woman across from him. A small little smirk was able to get through the pain as she looked over at him.

"I just got stabbed you jackass. Of course I'm not okay."

Gwen looked over at Steve and saw him staring at the floor. Both Sam and Natasha looked over at the captain, wondering what was going through his mind. Steve looked up and saw everyone looking at him.

"Why didn't you do anything?"

Sam asked and Steve looked over at Gwen, then back at Sam.

"It was Bucky. It was him. He looked right at me like he didn't even know me."

"How is that even possible? It was, like, 70 years ago."

Sam asked looking over at his friend like he was crazy. Natasha on the other hand looked away from Steve and out one of the tinned windows of the truck.

"Zola. Bucky's whole unit was captured in '43. Zola experimented on him. Whatever he did helped Bucky survive the fall. They must have found him…"

Natasha looked at Steve and rolled her eyes. Gwen looked over at her and noticed that she shut her eyes in pain from her wound.

"None of that's you fault, Steve."

"Even when I had nothing, I had Bucky."

Steve told them as he looked off into space again. Natasha leaned her head back and took in a breath. Sam watched her and then looked over at the two guard who sat next to him.

'We need to get a doctor here. If we don't put pressure on that wound, she'll bleed out here in the truck."

The guard right next to him pulled out SHIELDs stander issued taser sticks and turned it on. Sam was taken back and jumped a bit after seeing the electric rod start to spark blue. Then the guard flipped it in their hand and hit the other guard. That guard howled in t pain then the guard was kicked in the head, and dropped to the truck floor unconscious. All four of them looked at the guard in shock. Then he lifted his hands up to the face mask and pulled it off. When the mask was off the guard wasn't a man after all, it was Maria Hill.

"Ah. That thing was squeezing my brain. Who's this guy?"

She asked Natasha, Gwen and Steve. Gwen let out a small chuckle at the agent.

"I don't think I've ever been more happy to see you."

This caused the other woman to smile then she pulled out a set of keys. She unlocked Gwen first then moved on to Sam, and then Natasha.

"Correction. This is now the happiest I've been to see you."

Gwen told her while she rubbed her wrists. Sam came over and put his hand on her wound. After Hill freed Steve she pulled out a screwdriver looking thing from her pocket.

"Let's get out of here."

She told them and Sam just looked at the item in her hand.

"How is that-"

With a flick of a button the end of the screwdriver lit up with a bright blue laser. Sam just stared at it in the woman's hands.

"I've learned not to ask questions."

Gwen told him with a smirk as she let out a breath. Sam chuckled and kept the pressure on her wound. Hill pointed the screwdriver to the floor of the truck and started moving it in a diamond like shape. Seconds later, the floor dropped off of the truck and onto the road and the truck came to a stop.

"We've got to hurry."

Hill did it again but this time it cut a hole in the concrete and soon the piece dropped and into the sewer below.

"I've got Gwen."

Sam said to Steve. The super soldier nodded and took Natasha into his arms and waited for their turn to drop down into the sewer below. Hill when first and was followed by Steve and Natasha. As Sam went down with Gwen in his arms, Gwen heard Brock's voice outside of the truck.

"Four holes. Start digging."

Then she found herself in a world of darkness. They were in the sewer. Hill had already had a light going and was walking forwards.

"We need to get going. We have some people waiting for us."

**Author's Note:**

**I was going to post this sooner, but I woke up super late yesterday and had a shit ton of shit to do. Then today my laptop had to update to Windows 8.1 (BOO!) and it took about six hours. **

**But here it is! We finally saw Bucky! The part of the story that is still in the movie is almost over, two more chapters max (Hopefully. Fingers crossed) **

**Any whoooo. Favorite this, follow it, and review! Please review! I absolutely love what you guys are saying!**

**Love you all!**


	5. Who Am I?

Gwen laid down on a metal table next to the bed that Fury was in an hour ago. She was getting her stab wound stitched up. She could hear everyone else in the other room talking about their plan of attack on the helicarriers.

"What about Gwen?"

Sam asked. There was nothing said right away after he asked that question. She did heard someone talking heavy steps over to another part in the room, then Steve's voice broke through the silence.

"She already got hurt. I don't want her to die."

"Did you see what she did before that happened?"

Sam yelled back at who she was guessing was Steve. More silence.

"She saved my life and Natasha's."

"We don't know what could happen. I don't want her getting in the middle of all of this."

Steve said then she heard him sit down on a chair.

"You know she won't go for it. She's coming with us."

Natasha said. Gwen could tell that she had a smirk on her face as she said those words to the super soldier. Gwen smiled at Natasha's words and that she would do just that. She didn't want to sit somewhere by herself on the sidelines and watch all of them put their lives on the line.

"Fine."

Steve said, making Gwen let out a laugh.

"He sure is protective of you."

Looking up she saw that the doctor was cleaning up his instruments.

"That's not even the half of it."

"Well, you're all stitched up. Just stay down for a few more minutes."

"Thank you. I never caught your name."

"Russo."

"Gwen."

Then Steve walked into the room and saw her on the table. He walked over to her and took her hand. Gwen looked up and smiled at him. The smile didn't rub off on him, he still looked down at the wound.

"There was nothing you could do, Steve. I'm alright."

"That's a lie."

"Steve."

"I don't know of I can do this."

Gwen looked up at Steve and saw a range of emotion on his face. There was everything from anger to grief. Her fingers gripped Steve's even tighter as she pulled herself up so that she was sitting up. She was now almost eye level with the six foot two soldier. His blue eyes met her brown ones and she saw that same emotions that she should read on his face were reflected in his eyes.

"No one could have prepared you for this. I couldn't have. You need to listen to what I have to saw right now. People are going to die, hundreds and thousands of people. I'm such that we are both targets, I wouldn't think past that for a second. You need to know that whatever you do in the next three hours will change the fate of this world. Are you going to stand aside and let innocent people die or you going to do what you were born to do? We all have choices. My choice is to follow you, everyone here has made that clear. Now all we need now is you to point us in the right direction. We need you Steve, the world needs you. If you want to save Bucky you are going to have to face him. Please, we can't do with without you."

Steve looked at her and smiled.

"Is this you or my therapist talking?"

Gwen smiled and squeezed his hand again. Hoping that what she had said made it through to him.

"Let me go out for some air. Sam going to take you back to his apartment so you can change. Then we'll meet up and take the helicarrier."

Gwen smiled again and kissed him on the cheek. Steve flashed a light pink and wrapped his arm around her, giving her a hug.

"Thank you, Steve."

"I won't thank me yet."

She looked at him and rolled her eyes. Swinging her legs off the table she got down and stood next to him.

"After you, Cap."

* * *

><p>"Hurry up will you?"<p>

Sam called from his living room. Gwen looked up from her leg and at the closed bedroom door.

"One minute!"

She pushed her left foot into the boot and quickly straighten out her black jeans. Standing up from the bed she looked over herself in the mirror on the wall. She had on her favorite pair of brown leather Frye riding boots, black skinny jeans, a white spaghetti tank top, and a tribal print cardigan. She smiled at herself in the mirror then exited the room.

Hearing the door open Sam stood up from his spot on the couch and looked over at Gwen, letting out a small chuckle.

"What?"

She asked putting her hands on her hips as she looked over at him.

"We're going to fight and take down HYDRA. Not going shopping."

"Well, excuse me. When I was packing a few days ago I was not informed that I was going into battle and not working at all. Pardon me for being over dressed."

Sam let out another chuckle and started to turn towards the front door. Gwen rolled her eyes and followed him. They exited his apartment, before Sam closed the door he just stared at the room he could see. Everything he owned was in there, that space was his.

"It's going to be fine. You'll come back."

Gwen reassured him, placing her hand on his shoulder. Sam turned his head just enough so she could see one of his eyes.

"How are you so sure?"

"Because we have something worth fighting for. Now let's go."

Sam turned back to his apartment and closed the door, putting the key in the lock, turning it to the right. When he took the key put he handed it to Gwen and she put it in her front pocket.

"Let's go."

Sam said to her and they walked down the hall together. Both of them not sure what they had to face in the next two hours, they did know that whatever it was, it wasn't going to be a picnic.

* * *

><p>"Don't throw a bitch fit, but this is where we leave you."<p>

Steve said as he stopped walking and turned to Gwen. She looked out across the lake see SHIELDs headquarters, then her eyes whipped over to Steve, looking at him in disbelief. The look on Steve's face was serious, just like any other look, but she looked over at Hill and Sam, seeing them just looking either at the ground or at Steve.

"Why here?"

"This is the rondaview point. When everything is over, not matter what happens we met here."

Hill told Gwen, hoping that she didn't lose it on Steve and on her instead.

"Please, Gwen. You're already injured. Stay here and we'll be back in 30 minutes, tops."

Gwen looked once more at the SHIELD building across the water, then back at Steve.

"What are you waiting for, go save the world, Cap."

Steve gave her a quick nodded then looked to Hill and Sam. They both nodded then Steve started to walk again. Hill took the few steps over to Gwen and held out a handgun and a knife for her to take.

"Take these."

Gwen quickly did and said her thanks. With that Hill hurried to catch up with Steve and Sam. Gwen watched as the three walked away. She had a horrible, sinking feeling that she was looking at them for the last time. Shaking her head, hoping to clear that thought away, Gwen let out a breath.

"Good luck, Captain."

She said in a voice just for her to hear. Her brown eyes watched the three for a few more seconds until they disappeared from view. She was now alone. It was a feeling that she didn't like, it was a vulnerability for her. She couldn't stand being alone, it was a fear for her.

Everything was up in the air now. What the next two hours had in store were not for her to pick. This was out of her hands. This had to do with a world that she only knew so much about from paperwork and by mouth. She wasn't an agent, or a spy, or even a soldier. She was a psychologist. What she was in the middle of the woods, this was not her ball game. She knew why her team had left her in the small wooded area, it was because she wasn't ready. Gwen had already kid herself into thinking that she could run with this crowd and be like them. On the bridge she tried to show them that she was more than a doctor, but that ended up with a stab wound.

"One day."

She promised herself out loud.

"One day, I'll be out there defending the world with them."

* * *

><p>"Steve? Steve? Where are you? Come in!"<p>

Gwen yelled into the radio that she held onto. She watched as the helicarriers that were once hundreds of feet in the air came crashing down on the land. She knew that Natasha, Fury, Sam, and Hill had gotten out safe, but Steve wasn't responding.

He was still on the third helicarrier, she knew that for sure. But, she hadn't heard from him and was expecting the worst.

"Steve? Please-"

She stopped as she saw something blue drop from the crashing helicarrier. It was him. Gwen broke out from standing still to a sprint, in a matter of seconds. She went to the shore and got there in enough time to see the blue object hit the water.

"Steve. Please, don't do this to me."

She found herself repeating Natasha's words from the hospital as they watched Fury die in surgery. Trying the find comfort in her own words she continued to stare at the water until tears blocked her view.

"You're Captain America. You can't do this."

Gwen cried as she looked at the water. The words didn't comfort her, no matter how many times she said them. Lifting the radio to her mouth, Gwen was about to radio in the helicopter that rest of the team escaped in, when she saw a figure come out from the water about 30 feet from her. Her eyes saw the metal arm first, it was Bucky, and he was pulling Steve's body behind him.

Bucky let go of Steve's uniform and dropped him on the shore and just looked down at him. He's eyes studied Steve's face, a part of him knew that he had once knew this man in front of him. But his mind wouldn't let him remember.

"Steve!"

Bucky's eyes shot up and and his body tighten up. Looking up he saw a woman running towards him and she was calling the other man's name. Bucky quickly took another look at the man, turned his back and walked away. He hurried away, the woman finally stop running and he felt a pair of eyes looking at him. Stopping, he turned his head to look behind him. Sure enough the woman was looking straight at him.

"Please, come back."

She said to him in a small voice. A voice that was sure that what she was saying is what she meant and it also shook in fear. He just looked at her then turned back around, and continued to walk away.

Gwen wanted to get up and run after Bucky. But Steve was laying in front of her dying. Grabbing her radio she pushed down the talk button and spoke.

"I have Steve. Hurry and met at the rondaview point."

She dropped the radio into the brown mud at her feet and dropped to her knees beside Steve. She took his face in her hands, and felt his neck for a pulse. There was one but it was faint.

"Steve, you can't leave us. You just can't. Not now, not like this."

The radio in the mud made a beep noise then Natasha's voice was heard.

"On our way. Stay there."

Gwen continued to look at Steve. He face was beaten and he had open cuts on his face. She looked farther down and saw that the white stripes on his uniform were stained red and it was spreading.

"Oh God."

Quickly she put her hands on his lower abdomen and pushed down with all of her weight.

"You are not dying on me, Rogers."

Overhead she heard the blades of a helicopter and she continued to apply pressure. Minutes later she heard heavy footsteps coming towards her. A pair of arms wrapped themselves around Gwen and pulled her from Steve. She watched as Sam and Fury put Steve on either side of them and walked him away from the shore. Gwen looked back and saw that it was Natasha who had her arms around her. The Russian lead Gwen up the bank and up to a clearing where a still running helicopter sat with Maria Hill in the driver's seat. Natasha got Gwen into the copter and when the five of them were inside, the aircraft started to leave the ground.

"He's going to be alright, Gwen. Don't worry."

Natasha told her over the noise of the helicopter blades spinning fast above them.

* * *

><p><span>A Week Later<span>

Gwen shot out of bed in a flash. Her face was covered in sweat, her hair was stuck to her forehead and cheeks. Looking over at the clock on the other side of the room, the red glowing numbers of 3:23 burned into her eyes. She crawled out of bed and maneuvered in the dark to find the door. Walking out into the dark as night apartment Gwen followed her memory to the kitchen. Once there, she went to the fridge and opened it. At first the white burning light blinded her, quickly she grabbed the jug of chocolate milk and shut the door. Taking off the the cap of the carton, Gwen landed against the stainless steal appliance and brought the carton to her lips.

Her brown eyes adjusted to the lack of light in the kitchen as she drank. She frozen when she heard something drop in the living room down the hall. Removing the carton from her mouth Gwen walked away from the fridge and peered around the corner and down the hallway. She came face to face with darkness, she took a few steps into the hallway then she heard something behind her. Slowly she turned around, when she did she let out a small yelp and dropped the carton of chocolaty goodness onto the hardwood floor.

Two hands grabbed hold of her and pushed her into the closest wall. With her back to the wall and her feet a few inches off the ground, Gwen was now face to face with the Winter Soldier. She could make out his eyes in the darkness. What little light was in the hallway shined on his left arm.

"Who am I?"

He asked in a darkened and confused voice. Gwen just looked at his face, unable to say anything at the moment. She couldn't see it but his face hardened and his eyebrows furrowed together.

"Who am I?"

He demanded louder, making his grip oh Gwen tighten. A sharp pain came from her right arm as his metal arm squeezed it like it was a grape.

"Your name is James Buchanan Barnes, you've gone by the nickname Bucky since you were a little kid."

Bucky looked back up at Gwen, his expression not changing.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Gwen Brewster. I'm a therapist, I'm close friends with Steve Rogers."

Bucky pushed her harder into the wall, she let out a small cry of pain as he did so, she could hear the drywall breaking behind her head.

"Why do I know him?"

"Bucky-"

"Why do I know him!"

He yelled at her, at the same moment he tightened his grip and pushed her harder. Gwen felt pain all over her body now. Her arm felt like it could break at any point now if anymore pressure were on it.

"He was your best friend. You grew up together, you played together, you went off to war together. Please, let me go."

In an instant Gwen found herself on the floor in front of Bucky. Her arms still stinging with pain. She looked up at him, and saw that he held onto his normal arm with his metal arm. He was looking down at her and he didn't move an inch.

"I can help you. I can help you in becoming the person you were meant to be, not a weapon. Please, all I need to you to do is let me."

"What makes you think I want your help?"

"You're here aren't you?"

Gwen told him as she stood back up on her feet. She looked up into Bucky's eyes and watched him think over her words.

"Why are you here? Why me?"

"I've seen you with Steve."

"He's out looking for you."

"Why?"

"Because, Bu- you're his friend."

Bucky looked down again as he fought the urge to pull his gun. He remembers at HYDRA had told him that this woman and Steve were a threat and needed to be taken care of. He had already let them go once, and that was a mistake that he had to pay for. The images of what HYDRA did to him flashed in his mind. Closing his eyes shut, Bucky tried to fight against the urge.

"What do you want me to call you?"

She asked not looking away from him. She felt him looking at her but the light was too dim for her to see. She could feel his eyes burning into her skin as she stood there.

"Bucky. I want you to call me Bucky."

Smiling Gwen looked at his right arm, seeing that it was being cradled by his left.

"You're hurt, let me help."

She sat taking a small side step towards the kitchen, but was stopped by Bucky slamming his fit against the wall. Gwen jumped, she closed her eyes and took a breath before talking again.

"Let me take a look at your arm, please. I won't hurt you. I promise."

Bucky looked at her then lowered his arm. Gwen walked into the kitchen and turned the lights on. She looked back to see Bucky standing against the fridge, still cradling his right arm. He was dressed in dark clothing. Dark washed jeans, a dark grey zip up jacket, a simple black shirt, and a snap back hat covering his forehead. Taking a few steps forwards Gwen stood in front of Bucky, she looked at his right arm and went to touch it but Bucky backed away.

"Please. Sit down and take off your jacket."

She asked pointing over to the island counter and the tall wooden chairs. Bucky looked at them for a few seconds before doing what was asked of him. When his jacket was off Gwen looked at his arm and saw large cuts up and down on his arm.

"Jeez, I'll be right back."

Gwen hurried away to the bathroom. She grabbed her first aid kit she found her phone and texted Steve.

_To: Steve: Bucky is here. DO NOT COME OVER NOW. Come in the morning, please. Let me do this._

As quickly as she hurried away, Gwen hurried back. She opened the kit up on the counter and started to clean up and patch up the wounds on Bucky's arm. She only had to use a few butterfly band-aids, but for the most part she wrapped gauze around his arm.

Bucky just sat there and let Gwen work on his arm. When she was done he looked at her with a slightly frightened expression on his face, as if he was waiting for something bad to happen to him.

"Bucky. Don't worry. No one is going to hurt you. You're safe here. I promise you that."

He just looked down at her, he didn't say anything he just stared.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's Note:<span>**

**I hope you liked it! I finished this at 2 am for you all! **

**Bucky is here and ready to party! **

**We are now out of the movie and on the track for what I see happens for our heroes after the Winter Soldier. **

**The next installment will be coming soon. Hopefully later today (please note it is 2:30 am here for me) So, I am sorry if it is later on like at 9 or 10. **

**Follow, favorite, tell a friend, but most of all REVIEW! Tell me what you love and what you don't. I love the feedback! **

**I love you all! **


	6. Homecoming

Opening her eyes to see that she was in the living room and on the couch. Sitting up she looked around the room and saw that she was alone. Quickly she shot up off the couch and ran into the kitchen.

"Bucky?"

He wasn't in there either. She turned to hallway and quickly walked down the hall, looking in the rooms as she past.

"Bucky?"

She called when she stood at the end of the hallway. She looked to her left then she hear a squeak from the floorboards behind her. Turning her head she saw Bucky standing there. She she was going to say something but then his left arm grabbed onto her throat. She gasped as she as she was lifted up into the air and his grip tightened. She looked into Bucky's eyes and saw a blank look in his eyes, he wasn't in control anymore, he had fallen back into the programing of the Winter Soldier.

Gwen's hands when to his wrist, trying to pull his hand away, knowing that wouldn't happen.

"Bucky."

She was able to croak out as Bucky glared at her. She was starting to see black spots and slowly the spots were talking up her vision.

"Please."

Bucky didn't break at all. His face was hard and not changing. His dark eyes had no emotion and were as hard as his face. Gwen could tell that her eyes and face were filled with fear. Tears were falling from her eyes as she tried to hold onto her conscious self. Bucky didn't do anything other than tighten his grip on her.

"Buck-"

The next seconds happened fast. The front door opened and Steve stood there with Sam. When the two saw what was going on between Bucky and Gwen, they broke into 'hero mode'. Bucky turned his attention to the two at the door, then looked at the woman in his hand. Steve grabbed his shield off his back and threw it at Bucky, knocking him to the ground and Gwen out of his grip. When Gwen was free she coughed and held onto her neck, trying to restore her air supply.

The shield came bouncing back and he was ready for whatever came next, but Bucky didn't get up. He was still on the floor looking at Gwen. Sam hurried to her side, seeing that Steve wasn't doing anything.

"Gwen are-"

Bucky's eyes shot up at Sam with the same hostile look that was locked on his face a few seconds ago.

"Bucky, it's alright. He's a friend."

Gwen told him as she looked over at him. Bucky's eyes went from Sam to Gwen. She was still laying on the floor and trying to regain herself. Bucky just nodded and looked over at the other pair of eyes looking at him. Steve was still standing in the doorway looking at him. It was the same look at he have Bucky when he saw in on the bridge.

"Bucky?"

**Steve stood on the edge of the cliff and look out over it. Below them was a couple hundred foot drop covered in snow and ice. Bucky looked over at Dum Dum, who was standing next to Gabe sitting over the radio transmitter. He walked over to Steve and stood next to him and looked out at the landscape. **

"**Remember that time I made you ride the Cyclone at Coney Island?" **

"**Yeah, and I threw up?" **

"**This isn't pay back is it?" **

"**Now why would I do a thing like that?"**

**Steve said with a smirk on his face as he looked over at Bucky. **

"**Punk." **

"**Jerk." **

**Bucky let a smirk play out on his face. They were closer and closer to bring down HYDRA. He hadn't told anyone but he had wanted to do this since him and the 107th was captured two years ago. Out of everyone in HYDRA he wanted revenge on Zola. Whatever Zola did to him still haunts him. The pain and memories still haunted him in his sleep. He hadn't old Steve about this, he knew that Steve knew, he'd be worried for his friend. But Steve needed to focus on what the bigger picture was, bring down the rogue Nazi science division. **

"**You were right. Zola's on the train. He just got clearance to open up the throttle. Wherever he's going they need him fast." **

**Gabe told the rest of the Commandos as he moved the headset away from his ears. Bucky's jaw locked and he glared at the train tracks across the ravine. Zola was on the tracks and he was finally able to face him after two years.**

"**Buck?" **

"**I'm good." **

"**We better get moving." **

**Steve said turning to the rest of his Commandos, while Bucky just looked down at the ravine below. **

"Bucky?"

He looked up and saw that Gwen was now kneeling beside him on the hardwood floor. His eyes looked up at Gwen's face and locked eyes with her. He looked into her brown eyes and saw that they were filled with concern. From her eyes he looked down at her neck, seeing that huge dark bruises from where his fingers were.

"Did I do that?"

Gwen looked confused for a moment then she followed his eyes, seeing that he was looking at her neck. She brought her right hand to her neck and lightly ran her fingers over it, even from the light contract it made her cringe in pain.

"Yes. But you didn't mean it."

Bucky didn't look away from the marks. Gwen frowned and looked over at Steve. Bucky followed her eyes and saw Steve again.

"You're Steve. I remembered you."

Bucky told him as he stood up, still looking at Steve who was still standing in the door.

"You remembered? That's great."

Steve said his face lighting up hearing what Bucky said. He closed the front door and walked into the apartment.

"What was it, Bucky?"

Gwen asked standing up standing next to him, now having a hopeful look in her eyes.

"You were there, some other people too. We were standing on a mountain… and there was a train."

Steve's face fell when Bucky said what he remembered. That was the last time all the Howling Commandoes were together. It was the point in time that Steve wishes he could go back to. Gwen looked over at Steve and gave him a weak smile, she knew what Bucky was talking about. Steve had talked about that day with her many times over the last two years, it was one of the days that still haunts him.

"That's great Bucky."

Gwen said to him then she turned to Sam, who for the most part had been forgotten. She smiled at him, but he was looking at Bucky. He faces was telling Gwen what she needed to know, Sam didn't trust Bucky.

"I'm going to make some food. Sam come and help."

Sam took one last look at Bucky and followed her into the kitchen. When her and Sam were in the kitchen she turned around and slapped his arm. Sam was taken back and rubbed the spot where she had hit him.

"Ow. What was that for?"

Gwen glared up at him and poked him in his chest a few times as she talked.

"Don't 'what' me. You know what I'm mad about."

She told him, trying her best not to yell. Sam looked at her then towards the hallway.

"Look what he did to you. You can't blame me if I don't trust him."

"Sam, he wasn't his fault."

"You don't even know if he's with HYDRA right now."

Gwen crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. Sam did the same and they just looked at each other for a few seconds.

"If he was under the control of HYDRA I would be dead."

Sam didn't say anything, Gwen smirked and walked past him and to the fridge. Opening it up she grabbed the carton of whole milk from inside, closing the fridge, she stood on her tip toes and grabbed the box of Honey Bunches of Oats from on top of the fridge. Walking around the kitchen she opened a few cupboards and drawers, getting what she needed for her cereal. As made her breakfast she looked over at Sam, who was now sitting at the island counter, in the same chair that Bucky sat in last night.

"Whose apartment is this?"

"Pepper Potts. She stays here when she's in DC."

"When are you planning to go back to New York?"

"I'm not sure. I want to stay here and help Bucky. Maybe I can get him to come to New York with me. Tony has wanted me back since he heard about has happened here."

Sam nodded and looked around the kitchen. Gwen poured her cereal out and then the milk. She could hear Steve and Bucky talking down the hall together. Leaning against counter Gwen ate her cereal and looked over at Sam.

"What are you going to do now?"

She asked Sam as she ate. He looked up over at her and lifted his hands.

"I'm not sure. I was going to help Steve with finding Bucky, but I see you did that on your own. Why did he come here in the first place?"

She shrugged her shoulders and took another bite.

"I asked him and he told me that he saw me with Steve a few times. I'm guesses that he didn't see me as a threat. I want to help him, I know that the Bucky was once there is in there somewhere."

"'What makes you think that?"

"Steve and I are still alive. That's why."

* * *

><p>Steve sat with Bucky on the couch, Gwen sat across from them on a LazyBoy arm chair, and Sam was the small love seat.<p>

"I want to go back to New York."

Bucky said as he looked at his hands. Everyone in the room looked at him then looked at Gwen.

"I can get a jet here tonight. Are you sure Bucky?"

He looked up at her and nodded at her before he looked back down at the floor.

"I'll go tell Tony."

She said standing up and walking out of the room. Pulling out her phone, she dialled Tony's number and waited for him to pick up.

"GWENDOLYN! When are you coming back?"

Gwen laughed at him and shook her eyes at the millionaire.

"That's what I'm calling about. I need a jet."

"I've had one there for you since Monday, doc."

She smiled and rolled her eyes at him. She walked into the bedroom she was staying in. She walked over to the window and looked out at the city.

"I'm bring a few people with me. I'll see you in the morning Tony."

"Who are you bringing?"

"You'll see. Bye, Iron Man."

"Wait, Gwe-"

Gwen hit the drop call button and removed her phone from her ear. She looked out at the city, it must have been three in the afternoon. She had lost track of time since Bucky showed up last night, ever since then he was the only thing on her mind. Turning away from the window, Gwen walked back to the living room, seeing that the boys were how she had left them. When she entered the room she felt all of them look at her.

"There's been a jet here for me since Monday. When do you guys want to leave?"

* * *

><p>Zipping up her large roller suitcase Gwen let out a loud frustrated sigh. She pushed down on the fabric suitcase she tried again in zipping it up.<p>

"I didn't pack this much stuff."

She said to herself. She whined and jumped up onto the top of it. When her body weight was on top she finally zipped up the suitcase. Getting off the suitcase Gwen felt a pair of eyes on her, looking towards the doorway she saw Bucky standing in the doorway in a new change of clothes. He was now wearing a pair of denim jeans and a grey long sleeve shirt.

"Did Steve bring those for you?"

"Yes. Are we going to go?"

Gwen nodded and pulled her suitcase off of the bed.

"I'm ready. Are Steve and Sam down in the car?"

"Yes."

Gwen walked up to Bucky and looked up at him as he looked at the floor. Whenever she was in the same room with him she just wanted to study him. He was so fascinating to her. She wishes she could just pick his brain and help me get past everything that HYDRA did to him.

"Do you want to talk about anything?"

She asked, making him lift his eyes up to met her gaze. Her brown eyes were locked on his blue eyes. He wanted to tell her something, but when he thought about something to tell her all the pain came back to him. He would have flashes of him sitting in the chair with people around him. He would be pushed back all the way into the chair and then the chair buzzed to life. Slowly the head place would lower down around his face.

"I… I can't"

Gwen placed her hand on his left arm and smiled up at him.

"I'll be here if you ever want to talk, Bucky. I'm here to help you."

He looked down at her hand that was resting on his arm. From her hand he looked at her face again. He gave her the closest thing she had seen as a smile. This made a Gwen smile even more at him.

"Let's get going."

* * *

><p>On the jet off to New York everyone was quiet. Steve ask across from Bucky and both Sam and Gwen sat by themselves. Steve had fallen asleep about ten minutes ago. Sam was playing on his phone. Gwen sat in her seat and looked over the file that Steve had given her, it was from Kiev and about Bucky. She studied the file, the Russian that she didn't know she typed it into Google translate. She was nose deep in the file when she heard someone sit across from her, looking up she saw Bucky in the chair across from her.<p>

"Hey, Bucky."

"They would… they would wipe my memory after I'd come back from a mission. After that I'd be put into cryo freeze until I was needed again."

Gwen watched his face as he told her about what HYDRA did to him. His facial expressions told her everything he wouldn't say. Quickly she grabbed her yellow legal pad and wrote down what he said and what she saw. When her pen stopped she looked up at Bucky and gave him a soft smile.

"Bucky, I'm happy you told me this."

He looked over at her face. It had something that he hadn't seen in a long time, she had a friendly face. He had a feeling that she wouldn't hurt him and that he could trust her, but those feelings were coming from a place down inside him that he himself wasn't sure about.

"If you share something with me, I'll share something about myself."

Bucky continued to look at her, not sure what to do or say. Gwen looked at her note pad one last time before placing it down and then she looked over at Bucky again.

"I was brought in by SHIELD when they found Steve. He was found by a Russian oil team up in Greenland about three years ago. SHIELD had heard about my work and wanted me to Steve come to grips with the world he found himself in. When he came to New York he was still frozen in ice, but a few days later he woke up. When he did SHIELD had the plan of breaking it to him slowly. They put him in a room and staged it like it was still 1945. I came in dressed as an Army nurse and told him that he was in a recovery room in New York. I wasn't really lying to him, but I didn't want to break it to him like that. He figured out that I was lying, because of the radio on his bedside table was playing a baseball game that he had been to in 1941. He ended up breaking out and ran away, but SHIELD found him and brought him back. After that he came to my office and I've been working with him ever since."

Bucky let out a small and short laugh. Gwen's ears perked up hearing that noise coming to him for the first time.

"That sounds like Steve. He was always too smart for his own good."

Gwen smiled. Knowing that if she made a big deal about what he just said could bring him back a few steps, and from how he was early that morning it was a large improvement.

"He is like that, huh?"

"Yeah."

"We should be there soon. Maybe when you're ready we can go to your old neighborhood. Hopefully that could bring back some memories."

Bucky nodded and looked across the plane to where he was sitting before.

"Do you mind if I stay here?"

"Not at all. I'm yours whenever you want me."

Gwen told him with a smile. Bucky nodded and looked out the window of the jet. Turning her attention back to the file, Gwen looked at a picture of Bucky that was paperclipped on the folder. It was him in his military uniform back before he was the Winter Soldier. She smiled at the picture then took a quick glance at the man in front of her. She would never admit this to anyone, but ever since she first learned about Captain America and his Howling Commandos in grade school she like Bucky. He was her favorite out of all of them, sure there was Captain America, the Star Spangled Man with a Plan, but Bucky was the one she wanted to learn more about. The chilling fact that he was the only Commando to lose his life in the line of action made her love him even more. He followed his best friend into the face of danger and payed the ultimate sacrifice for his country and his friend. As she grew older Gwen found herself think that Bucky was the best looking out of the Commandos. She thought it was funny at the time to think that. Back then both Bucky and Steve were dead as far as the world knew. Now she calls Captain America her friend, she has helped him through many things in the 21st century, and she has fought alongside to save the world. Not to mention she is now trying to save Bucky Barnes, hoping that she can say about Steve is the same for Bucky.

Gwen came out of her train of thought and looked out the window to see the night time skyline of New York. She turned her head to look at Bucky who was doing the same thing, but only with his mouth open a bit.

"I guess it's changed from 1943, huh?"

"You're telling me."

* * *

><p>Getting off the plane Gwen stepped out and saw Happy down on the tarmac standing next to a black SUV. A huge grin formed on her face and she ran down the stairs to met him. She hugged him and let out a laugh.<p>

"I saw what happened down there. Are you alright?"

"If I wasn't I would be here to tell you no."

Happy smiled and let go of Gwen to see who she brought with her to New York. Gwen turned around to see her three companions were off the plane and on solid ground.

"Happy, you remember Steve."

"Of course. Captain Rogers."

Steve nodded and Gwen continued with the introductions.

"Then this is Sam Wilson, he's a pararescue. And, this is Bucky Barnes."

Happy looked at Bucky and didn't say anything other than his hello. Bucky nodded and looked over at Gwen.

"I'll get your bags, you can all get in the car."

The four did as they were asked. They all piled into the SUV, Gwen in the front, and the rest in the back.

'Since when do you get the front?"

"Since I'm a lady, Sam."

He rolled his eyes at the woman whose seat was across the car from her. In the seat directly behind her was Bucky, while Steve was in the middle seat.

After a minute or so Happy got back into the car and started it up. He looked over at Gwen when he started to drive, she was looking in the side mirror at the man in the seat behind her. Happy cleared his throat and she looked at him, with a hint of blush in her cheeks at being caught looking at Bucky.

"Ready to go home?"

"You have no idea."

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's Note:<span>**

**I meant for this to come out a lot sooner than it did. Sorry. It's been a crazy day of chasing around a 2 year old on a rainy day. **

**Anyways, this story got 430 views today! So thank you for all of you Winter's Children all over the world reading this! I love that you love what I'm doing. *hugs***

**And as always: Follow this shit, favorite it, share with you BFF, and most of all REVIEW! (I love getting the emails saying I have a review. It makes a smile come to my face)**

**Keep your eyes peeled for chapter seven! **

**Love you all!**


	7. You Are Who You Choose to Be

Walking out of her room Gwen stretched her arms out as she walked. Her bare feet hit the cool linoleum floor and she felt the hem of the long shirt hit the back of her legs. The light from the morning sun was shining through the windows of her floor of the Avengers Tower. Her and the boys finally arrived at the tower late in the night. All of them ended up sleeping on her floor, Steve took the couch in the living room, and Sam and Bucky took the two spare rooms. Gwen was happy to be back home. She was done living out of her suitcase, and she had forgot to pack her favorite sweatpants.

When she got into the kitchen she saw that Bucky was alone sitting at the island counter.

"Morning Bucky."

She said when she saw him. Turning his head he saw her walking towards him. His face turned a very light shade of pink seeing what she was wearing. Gwen's brown hair was all over the place from her sleep. She had on a over sized red t shirt and very short black shorts.

"Morning Gwen."

Smiling Gwen walked to the fridge and glanced over at the couch not seeing Steve asleep.

"Steve and Sam went out for a run."

Bucky answered before the question was even asked. She looked over at him and smiled.

"Have you had breakfast yet?"

He shook his head and looked down at the table. Gwen looked at Bucky again seeing that he was wearing a zip up sweatshirt over a plain white shirt. She hadn't seen his metal arm since she first saw him in Pepper's apartment.

"I'll give you the best breakfast you've ever had."

She stated with a smile on her face as she started to pull out everything for a breakfast extravaganza. Everything for pancakes, french toast, bacon, waffles, sausages, eggs, crepes, cinnamon rolls, anything you could think of she had it. Bucky just sat there and watched her make him breakfast. He couldn't stop watching her make food, she buzzed around the kitchen doing almost doing four jobs at once. Every now and again his eyes would drift up to her neck to see the bruises that he had left on her. He was angry that he had done that to her, all she wanted to do was help him and he had done that in return.

"JARVIS?"

"_Yes, Ms. Brewster?" _

Bucky nearly jumped out of his seat when he heard the electronic voice echo around the room. Upon hearing Bucky jump Gwen's eyes shot over to his and saw him looking around like a mad man. She was puzzled for a moment but then her face turned bright pink when she realized what had happened.

"Oh, my gosh. Bucky, I'm sorry."

"What the hell was that?"

"_I am JARVIS, Mister Stark's artificial intelligence butler." _

Bucky looked up at the ceiling then back at Gwen.

"_I am at your service Mister Barnes if you ever need anything. What was it that you needed Ms. Brewster?" _

"Can you tell Tony and Pepper that I have come back and breakfast is about five minutes away."

"_Of course ma'am." _

Gwen flipped another pancake onto a large plate already piled high with pancakes. She took a quick glance at Bucky who was still a little on edge about JARVIS.

"It's fine Bucky. JARVIS is here to help us."

"Does he always do that?"

"Yes. You'll get used to it. Just a heads up, Tony is very… well how do you say it… self absorbed. But he means well, if he's an asshole to you it means he likes you. Just don't take what he says too personally. If he gets too much for you to handle just call me over and I'll kick him out."

Bucky smirked as Gwen talked about her friend like that and pulled a big pan of bacon out of the oven.

"What about Pepper?"

"One of the sweetest people you'll ever meet, other than myself. She's really easy to talk to and she's very understanding. And again if it's too much, just as the word."

Bucky was about to thank her but a man's voice who he'd never heard before rang throughout the kitchen.

"You got here last night and I just found out about it? What kind of person do you think you are?"

Gwen turned her head to see Tony and Pepper walking out of the elevator and towards her in the kitchen.

"A 'hey Gwen it's been a while. How are you? Are you okay? It's good to see you' would do just as well."

She told the man as she closed the oven door and started to walk over to them. Tony smiled and let out a laugh.

"It was late and we were all tired. Plus, we'd be here in the morning."

Gwen said as she reached Tony and Pepper giving Tony the first hug.

"Whose we?"

Tony asked. Gwen turned and pointed to Bucky who was still sitting at the island counter watching Gwen.

"This is Bucky. He's a friend."

Tony and Pepper looked over at Bucky.

"Bucky, huh? Why does that seem familiar? Are you her boyfriend or something?"

Gwen's face turned beet red at Tony's words. They couldn't see it but Bucky's face turned another colour as well.

"No. He's not- I'm mean we're not- No. he's well… it's a long story."

"I was friends with Steve in the 40s. I was frozen by the government and they found me."

Pepper was the first to say something to Bucky.

"It's nice to meet you, Bucky. I'm Pepper. Were you given the super soldier serum as well?"

"You could say that."

Gwen smiled at him. And then looked over at Tony who was still looking at Bucky like he had two heads or something.

"Tony, this is Bucky. Say 'hi Bucky. It's nice to meet you. I'm Tony.'"

The older man glared at her and looked back at Bucky and walked over to him.

"Tony Stark."

He said putting out his left hand for Bucky to shake. Bucky didn't do anything other just stare at Tony's hand. Gwen watched him and waited for him to do something, but he just looked up from Tony's hand to her face.

"Tony, could you come get this?"

She called over to him. Tony turned his body away from Bucky to look at Gwen who was pointing to some plates. He took one last look at Bucky before walking over to Gwen and the food. Gwen hurried over to Bucky and covered his left hand with her's. He looked up at her to see her giving him a reassuring smile.

"You don't have to tell them, if you don't want to. I could if you'd like?"

"Thank you, Gwen."

She smiled again and leaned forward, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Go on and sit at the table."

She told him then she turned around to grab more of the food. Bucky just sat there and looked at her. After everything he had done, she treated him this way. Compassion was something that was completely foreign to was she being like this to him?

"It smells good in here."

Everyone's eyes turned to see Sam and Steve walking out of the elevator together. They were dressed in running clothes, the only difference was that Sam's had dark marks from sweat and Steve's didn't.

"You boys are just in time. Come and sit."

Gwen said as she walked over to the dining table with glasses in her hands. Bucky walked over to the table and sat down next to Gwen. Everyone else walked over and sat down, greedily looking at the food that sat before them. There were waffles, crepes, bacon, sausage, pancakes, cinnamon rolls, scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, orange juice, and apple juice.

"Dig on in, everyone."

* * *

><p>After breakfast Gwen stood in the kitchen washing up the dishes. Pepper walked over to her and pulled her away from the sink.<p>

"Go sit down. You made this for us. Let me clean up."

Gwen laughed and rolled her eyes at the older woman. She stood off to the side and watched Pepper start to clean the dirty dishes.

"So, what's with Bucky?"

"What do you mean?"

Pepper looked over at Gwen with a look at she knew all too well.

"He's my newest client."

Pepper nodded and went back to washing the dishes. Gwen looked away from the red haired woman and to the living room. Everyone was in there sitting on the furniture talking. She couldn't hear what it was about, but she watched as Tony never looked away from Bucky.

* * *

><p>"What's with the arm, Buck?"<p>

Tony asked as he took another drink of his orange juice. Both Bucky and Steve looked at the millionaire and said nothing.

"Come on. Why are never using it? Is it broken or something?"

Bucky looked at Tony then to Steve. Steve wasn't too sure on what Bucky should do.

"Buck."

Bucky looked from Steve to into the kitchen at Gwen, but she was talking to Pepper. Looking down at his left arm he let out a sigh. With his right hand he pushed up the sleeve of his left arm, showing Tony his metal arm. Feeling someone next to him, Bucky looked up seeing Tony sitting next to him on the couch looking at his arm.

"This is amazing. Who built this? The craftsmanship is incredible."

He stated looking at his arm, his fingers wanted to touch it, but Tony could tell that Bucky wouldn't be too keen on that happening.

"Whoever it was, is long gone. I got this arm back in 1945."

"Incredible. Do you think it needs to be fixed? I'd love to do work on it-"

"It's fine. Thank you for the offer."

Bucky told him and pushed his sleeve back down over his arm. Tony looked up at Bucky's face and saw him looking away from him and down at the floor. Standing up Tony took the last drink of his orange juice and walked over to the kitchen. Bucky stood up and walked away from Steve and Sam as well, he didn't walk into the kitchen like Tony, he walked down the hallway he saw Gwen walk out of this morning.

* * *

><p>"Where'd Bucky go?"<p>

gwen asked Tony, looking past him and into the living room. Tony looked back and saw that the other super soldier wasn't there. He shrugged his shoulders and walked over to Pepper, giving her his empty glass.

"_He's in the guest room, Ms. Brewster." _

"Thank you JARVIS."

She walked out of the kitchen and down the hallway. She turned to face the first door on her right. The door was closed. She knocked on the metal door and waited for a response, but nothing came.

"Bucky? It's Gwen."

She said into the door. Hearing footsteps on the other side of the door, she waited a few seconds, then the door opened to Bucky.

"Are you okay?"

Gwen asked as she looked up at him. He was looking at the floor, this was something she found him doing a lot. She reached her right hand out to touch his left arm, but he ripped his arm away from her reach.

"Bucky. It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you."

He lifted his eyes and and looked at Gwen. Again she smiled at him, reaching her hand out for a second time, she tangled her fingers with his metal ones. Bucky looked down at their fingers and he couldn't look away. No one had ever done this to him before.

"Did something happen?"

"Can we talk about it later?"

"How about I go change and you can met me in my office? I'll be ten minutes. My office is at the end of the hall, on your left."

He nodded as he continued to look down at their intertwined fingers. Slowly Gwen pulled away and the warmth of her hand left his. She walked down the hall to her room and shut the door. The guest room door shut itself, leaving him alone again in the room. He looked at what he was wearing and thought he should change his clothes as well. He changed from the black baggy sweatpants and white shirt that Gwen had found for him the night before, and into the same pair of jeans he wore yesterday and a dark brown shirt. He kept the black zip up hooded sweatshirt and looked at the clock on the bedside table. He still had time before Gwen told him to met her.

* * *

><p>Gwen pulled her hair back with a white hair tie and looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes weren't looking at her simple cozy outfit, they were looking at the bruises on her neck. They had gotten worst then when she went to sleep. Now the skin wasn't just deep purple, it was turning more black with bits of green. She had seen Pepper and Tony looking at her neck ever since they saw her, but both of them had said nothing about it, hopefully they never will. She happy that she had found her grey sweatshirt that had a very high neckline, the top of it was more like a built in scarf. Knowing that it was mid March and the weather was only going to get hotter, this meant that she couldn't wear her big wool scarves to cover up the bruises. She just hoped that they would heal fast.<p>

Walking out of her bedroom she saw Bucky was standing next to her office door, waiting for her.

"Hey, sorry to keep you waiting."

"It's alright."

He told her has he pushed a few strands of his hair behind his ear. Gwen went to open the door, but Bucky beat her to it and opened it for her.

"Ladies first."

She smiled at him and walked into her office. It was a medium sized room. It had a floor to ceiling window that looked out over the city, one of the many reasons Gwen had chosen this room for it. A large 'L' shaped dark cherry wood desk sat along the wall of the office, behind the desk sat a large black leather chair, and in front of the desk were two light grey arm chairs. The solid walls of the office were painted a very light blue colour, it was very calming to the eyes. Pictures frames hung with her degrees inside, some had pictures of beautiful landscape. The office itself was very clean, but the desk was another story. Open files, papers, pens and pencils. and yellow legal pad covered the table top of the cherry desk.

"Sorry of the mess. I'm not usually this messy."

She said as she walked over to her desk, trying to pick up some of her mess. Bucky walked over to a shelf that was on the wall that the door was on. On the dark wood shelf there were books, pictures, and random little nick nacks. What Bucky was looking at were the pictures.

The first one he looked at was of Gwen in a black graduation cap and gown. She was holding her degree in her hand and standing in between an older looking couple. The woman was a few inches taller that Gwen and had curly dark brown hair that had strands of silver grey in it. Her face reminded him a lot of Gwen, she had the same caring smile that she has. The man was taller, about six foot. He had very light blonde thin hair and a pair of glasses outlining his brown eyes. These were her parents.

Another picture of Gwen that he looked at was of her and another girl with dark red hair. They standing on a beach and were hugging each other and had goofy looks on their faces. Gwen was dressed in blue jeans, a orange rain jacket with the hood over her head, and a pair of grey boots. Stands of her brown hair were coming out from the hood and blowing in the wind. The other girl had on a large dark blue sweatshirt that went down a few inches past her hips, a pair of black leggings, and bright pink tall rain boots.

Bucky felt someone standing next him, he looked down and saw Gwen standing there looking at the pictures. She saw that he was looking at the picture of her on the beach and laughed. She grabbed the frame and held it.

"This was about three years ago. That's one of my best friend's Ronda. We were staying up at one of my friend's beach house in Oregon."

Bucky looked back up at the picture of her and her parents. He grabbed it and took a closer look at it.

"Are these your parents?"

"Yeah. That's my mother Janis and my father Harrison. That was when I graduated from Harvard with my Ph.D a few years ago."

Bucky smiled down at the picture, he placed it back on the shelf and looked back at Gwen. She put the picture of her and Ronda back up and she looked over at her desk.

"What do you want to talk about?"

She asked as she turned her head back to Bucky. He looked away from the collection of pictures and down at her.

"I showed Tony my arm."

She just nodded and stayed quiet to see if he had anything else to say.

"He wants to work on it… I don't… when HYDRA would, after they would…"

"Bucky. Tony would never hurt you. He's not like that. He's just a grease monkey."

Bucky nodded and looked at his arm.

"Did you know that Tony isn't 'normal' too?"

He looked back at her with a confused look on his face.

"Here."

She walked over to her desk and grabbed her laptop and opened it. Bucky walked over to the desk and stood in between the two chairs and watched her type and scroll through her computer.

"Four years ago Tony was in Afghanistan to promote his new missile for the military. While he was over there he was kidnapped by a terrorist group known as The Ten Rings. When he was kidnapped he was hit with shrapnel in the chest. He was held there for three months and was forced to build them one of his new missiles. He ended up building a suit and escaped. When he came back from overseas he became Iron Man. The shrapnel in his chest was still there, that's why he made the ARC reactor. It stopped the metal from hitting his heart. It's a part of him. Just like your arm is apart of you."

Gwen turned her laptop around and show Bucky the picture file she was looking for, pictures she had Tony. They ranged from pictures of him in his Iron Man suits to him wearing his normal clothes and you could see the blue glow from the ARC reactor in his chest. She flipped through the pictures and Bucky couldn't take his eyes from the screen.

"I also have another friend who isn't the world's standard of 'normal'."

Gwen said turning the screen back to her and she looked for another file.

"Bruce Banner. He is a brilliant scientist, one of the smartest persons I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. He has been on of the many to try and replicate the serum that made Steve into a super soldier. However, there were some complications. When he was injected with the serum he became something different. A large green monster. Whenever he is angry he loses control of his human self and turns into the Hulk. At first he didn't have control when he was the Hulk, but as time passed and the more he tried Bruce is now able to control the monster that is living within him."

Turning the screen back around Bucky saw pictures of Bruce and the Hulk.

"Why are you showing me this?"

"Because Bucky, your arm isn't something to be ashamed of. It makes you who you are. Now, Tony and Bruce hasn't had people in their minds telling them what to do, but they have used what they have been dealt. They help people, they have saved the world."

Gwen put her laptop down and walked around her desk to standing in front of Bucky. She took both of his hands into her's and looked up at him.

"It wasn't your choice to be put back together and made into a weapon. But that is the beauty of what is happening right now. You can choose for yourself. What you did in your past, it wasn't Bucky, it was the Winter Soldier. Because of this arm you aren't destined to be a weapon. You don't have to be anyone's soldier. You are who you choose to be. You choose."

Bucky looked down into her eyes, she had meant every word that had come out of her mouth. This woman was risking her life to help him. He had almost killed her multiple times already, but here she stood, standing in front of him without fear.

"I choose Bucky."

Smiling Gwen dropped his hands and wrapped them around his torso. He was taken back by her actions, but he knew he had to learn that Gwen was going to do things like this.

"Good. I choose him, too."

* * *

><p><span><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

**Yes, I quoted The Iron Giant, but it's such I good movie and it weirdly reminds me of Bucky. **

**Chapter 8 will be coming out in a few hours, I hope. I have time, who am I kidding. **

**Friendly reminder; favorite and follow this story cause you love it so and review your little hearts out! I love hearing feed back! **

**I love you all! **


	8. Progress

It has been two weeks since the group had left the country's capital. Steve and Bucky were living on Gwen's floor of the Avengers Tower for the time being. Sam had satied and had his own floor two floors below Gwen's. Bucky was remembering more and more every day. He hadn't had any falls backs into the Winter Soldier since DC. He was being more social with everyone. When he was in the room with anyone other than Gwen or Steve he wouldn't look at the ground, he was actually engaging in the conversion. He had even let Tony take a look at his arm, there were a few minor breaks in it, but for the most part it was alright. What was an even bigger improvement was that he wasn't hiding his arm under layers of clothing. He was wearing short sleeved shirts now instead of the his long sleeves and hooded sweatshirts.

Gwen was sitting on the grey couch in the living room watching The Fashion Police when Bucky walked in and stood in front of her line of vision.

"Hey. I'm watching that."

"I want you to do something for me."

She raised an eyebrow and turned her full attention to him.

"I want to cut my hair."

"Your hair. Why? I like it how it is."

"It isn't me. It's the Winter Soldier. Plus, it's starting to get annoying."

He said as he ran his left hand through his long and unruly dark hair. Gwen watched him and looked at his hair. She could see why it was getting annoying, it was growing longer and it did need a cut. She stood up from the couch and turned the TV off.

"I'll go an make an app-"

"No."

Turning her head around Bucky still stood there and looked at the floor. She frowned and fully turned towards him.

"What I mean is, can you do it?"

He asked looking up from the floor and into her eyes. She gave him a small smile and nodded.

"I'll go get some scissors."

"Just don't move."

Gwen instructed Bucky as stood in front of him. With a pair of scissors in one hand, she held strands of Bucky's brown hair between her pointer and middle fingers. As she held the hair she glided the scissors across the hair above her fingers. The now free hair fell to the floor and Gwen took a step back and looked at her work. He looked like a new man. Bucky was right, it was the hair that reminded him of the Winter Soldier.

"Is it bad?"

Gwen didn't say anything to his question. She just put the scissors down and looked at his hair some more.

"I like it."

Bucky sat up from the chair and ran his hand through his hair. It was a strange feeling not having all of that hair on top of his head. Looking down at the floor around the chair Bucky saw all his hair and let out a long whistle.

"Go take a look, man!"

Gwen told him as she walked into the kitchen and grabbed the broom from the cupboard. Bucky chuckled and walked towards the bathroom down the hall. As he walked his hand would keep touching his hair, his fingers kept wanting to play with the long hair that was no longer attached to his head. When he walked into the bathroom the lights turned on when he stepped into the room, the first thing he saw when he walked into the bathroom was his face in the mirror.

"Wow."

Bucky said to himself. He lifted his hands to his hair and run them around into his now short hair. He couldn't take his eyes off of his hair, it has been so different from how it's been for a long time. The last time he remembered having it like this was back in 1943.

"How is it?"

Gwen called from the kitchen. Bucky turned his head a bit to the side and looked out the door.

"It's great."

He called back as he ran his hand through his hair again.

* * *

><p>Gwen sat in her office and looked over the file that Natasha had gotten for them and the flies that Tony was able to take off the internet about Bucky when he was in the hands of HYDRA. She would jot down a few notes on her yellow legal pad in English when she'd read across something she wanted to remember. She had been in her office for the past two days, only taking bathroom breaks. When there was a knock on her office door it made her jump off her chair.<p>

"Gwen?"

Looking at the door she saw that Steve was poking his head inside.

"Come on in."

Steve walked in and shut the door behind him. Gwen looked up from her work and saw that Steve was in his uniform.

"Me and Sam are leaving. We have a lead on HYDRA. We'll be back in a few days."

Gwen nodded and leaned back in her chair, she looked at the living legend in front of her.

"Be safe. Come back home."

"I always do. Find anything new?"

"No. I'm just looking these over again."

Steve looked at the mess that Gwen was working in. Papers were piled high and there were yellow pages and colourful post it notes all over the place.

"Don't lock yourself in here anymore."

Gwen groaned and got up from her chair. She stretched her limbs out as Steve still looked at her work. She walked over to him and gave him a quick hug.

"I'm serious. Be safe."

"I will."

Gwen pulled away from the super soldier and gave him a salute.

"Captain."

"Doctor."

Steve gave her a smile at her, then turned and left her office. Letting out another groan Gwen walked over to her desk and placed her hands on the edge of it, looking at her work. Her eyes looked at a black and white picture of Bucky and the rest of the Howling Commandos. She grabbed the picture off the tabletop and looked at it again. This picture was in a textbook from high school.

"**Captain America and his Howling Commandos. The group was made up of Dum Dum Dugan, Jim Morita, Montgomery Falsworth, Gabe Jones, Jacques Dernier, and Bucky Barnes." **

**Gwen looked down at her textbook on her desk and saw a black and white picture of the seven men all standing together. Guns were strapped to them, they looked like they had been through hell, but all of them had a smile on their face. **

"**Raise your hand if you have heard of any of these men before?" **

**The teacher asked and about half of the class put their hands in the air. **

"**For the next week these men will be the topic of your short essay. You pick which Commando you want to write about." **

**Her teacher handed out a green piece of paper that had the rubric of the essay on it. When Gwen had it in her hands she quickly read it over and then looked at the picture again. Her brown eyes went straight to the man standing on Captain America's left, Sergeant Bucky Barnes.**

"**Please, spare me from beating my head against a wall, and not all of you write this about Captain America." **

"**Why not? He's clearly the only one worth learning about." **

**A boy two rows in front of Gwen said loudly for the whole class to hear. **

"**What are you even talking about. All of them are worth learning about." **

**The boy turned around in his chair and looked back at Gwen with a smug look on his face. **

"**Really? Why is it that Captain America is the only one that is a national hero?" **

"**All of them are. If they didn't do what they did, we wouldn't be here arguing about it." **

"**Gwen, I'm taking it that you aren't going to write your's on the Captain. Who can I expect to read about from you?" **

**Her teacher asked moving from his spot up front, leaning against the table, and now he stood up straight in front of her row. **

"**Sergeant Barnes." **

"**You do realize he's the one that pussied out and died, right?" **

**The boy said, not taking his eyes off of her. Gwen glared up at her classmate and crossed her arms over her chest. **

"**Excuse me? How does that even make sense? Barnes gave his life for the protection of his country. He paid the ultimate price to keep the world save." **

"**Whatever." **

**The boy said turning back around and sinking into his chair. The teacher cleared his throat and looked at his class. **

"**Gwen, I can't wait to read your essay. Now on Friday when his essay will be do, I will pick one paper to be read from each Commando. Please, not everyone pick the Captain. I want you to venture out and pick the one you feel will have an interesting story. Gwen, I'm going to want you to read on Friday." **

**She nooded and looked back down at her textbook at the Commandos. **

"**You have til the end of the period to get a start on your essay. Good luck." **

**Third period on Friday finally came. Gwen had finished her paper the night before. She stood in front of her class with the typed out copy in her hands, waiting for the class to quiet down. **

"**Settle down class." **

**The room slowly quieted down and eyes founded their way up at Gwen. She looked back at her teacher who just nodded, telling her she could begin. Letting out a breath Gwen looked down at her paper and started to read. **

"**Entering the United States military in June of 1943, James Buchanan Barnes was ready to head overseas to fight the German enemy. He left his best friend since childhood, Steve Roger, who later would join his friend in the battlefields in Europe, but today wasn't that day. Arriving in Europe, Bucky would quickly raise up in the ranks and by October of that year he had made it to the rank of Sergeant. Him and the men of the 107th were captured by the rouge Nazi science division, HYDRA. Sergeant Barnes and the other 500 or so men were rescued by America's new hope, Captain America, but Bucky knew him as Steve Rogers. After Azzano Rogers put together a team, it consisted of men from the 107th. Over the next year Rogers and his Howling Commandos went through Europe, their goal, to wipe HYDRA off the map. In 1944 something happened that not any of the Commandos were ready for. While capturing doctor Arnim Zola in the Alps, Bucky never made it out. He was reported missing in action. Still to this day that is said about Bucky Barnes, because his body was never found the military has him still reported missing. At the end of the war the remaining Commandos mourned the death of two of their fallen brothers in arms. They have said that out of all of them Bucky was the best shot out of all of them, even the Captain. Gabe Jones said that Bucky had saved all of their lives more times than he could show you on his two hands. He had also said that Captain Rogers wishes that he could have gone back and would trade his life for Bucky's. He knew that going overseas could have ended like it did, but he was never really ready for it." **

**Gwen looked up from her paper and looked back at her teacher. **

"**Do I keep going?" **

"**How many pages is it?" **

"**Six." **

"**Nerd." **

**Gwen's brown eyes shot over to the boy that sat in the front row. He was the same one who she had the argument with earlier that week. **

"**Evan." **

**Their teacher said with a stern tone of voice. **

"**Gwen, thank you for reading." **

**The class clapped and she placed her stapled essay on the front table. As she walked back to her seat she could hear Evan talking about her to his friends that sat around him. When she sat down Gwen sank down into her seat and wanted to sink into the floor. **

**Her teacher walked to the front of the room and picked up her paper. **

"**Caleb. You did you write about?" **

"**Jones." **

"**Come on up, son."**

**He told his student as he walked back to his desk in the back of the room. When he sat down he started to read the rest of Gwen's essay. Class went on and when the bell rang everyone bolted out of their seat and left the classroom. Gwen slowly packed her things up and as she was about to leave her teacher called her name. Turning around Gwen walked over to his desk and put her hands in her pockets as she stood. **

"**I read the rest of your paper Gwen. It has been the best paper I have read on this topic and I have had students writing his essay for five years. You really seemed to capture who Sergeant Barnes was." **

"**Um, thank you." **

"**I hope you know that you are one of my favorite students. You are one of the only ones who take this class seriously and reading your essays make me feel that there is hope for your generation." **

**Gwen laughed at his words and removed her hands from her jean pockets. **

"**You will do great things with your life Gwen. Don't let assholes like Evan get in your way." **

**The bell for fourth period rang over head. Gwen laughed again at her teacher and smiled.**

"**Thank you. I know I shouldn't let Evan get to me." **

"**Here's a note. Who is your fourth period?" **

"**Ms. Alley." **

**He quickly wrote a note on the back of a blue hall pass, then handed it to Gwen.**

"**Just remember, you can do whatever it is you want. You choose." **

Gwen smiled down at the picture. She put it back down on the table, then she walked out of her office. When she was in the hallway she heard the sound of the TV in the living room. Walking down the hall she saw that Bucky was sitting on the couch looking up at the TV.

"What are you watching?"

"I'm not sure. I can't pick anything."

He said putting the remote down. Gwen walked over to the couch and sat down next to him.

"JARVIS?"

"_Yes ma'am?" _

"Can you have Seinfeld played on the TV."

"_Which episode ma'am?" _

"The first one."

"_Right away ma'am." _

Gwen smiled and brought her feet to her chest as she got ready to watch her favorite show of all time.

"What is this show about?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Yes."

"What do they do?"

"It's a sitcom about a comedian played by the brilliant comedic mind of Jerry Seinfeld. It's about trying to be a writer for NBC and it's just about his life, you 's just like life. You eat, you go shopping, you read… you eat, you read, you go shopping."

"They read on the show?"

'Well, I don't know. We can see if they read. It's the greatest show that has ever graced cable television."

Bucky chuckled and looked over at Gwen.

"A show about nothing is the greatest show ever?"

"Just wait. You'll see."

She said turning to look at the man next to her. He just shook his head and then the TV switched over to Seinfeld.

"How many times have you showed this to Steve?"

"I haven't."

"You haven't shown him this?"

"No. You're lucky Barnes."

Gwen said as she leaned to her left, lightly resting her head on Bucky's arm. Bucky looked down at his arm seeing her head resting on him.

"Shh, it's starting."

She said with a giddiness in her voice. Bucky chuckled at her again and looked at the TV and watched Gwen's favorite show in the whole world.

* * *

><p>That night Gwen and Bucky watched the first three seasons of Seinfeld. At first Bucky wasn't really into it, he was just happy watching Gwen enjoy herself. But after watching more of it Bucky started laughing and getting into the show.<p>

"I told you, you'd like it."

"Whatever."

Gwen looked at her watch and saw that it was five minutes till midnight.

"I'm going to head off to bed."

She said getting up from the couch.

"Night Buck."

She said giving him a lazy sleep filled smile. Bucky chuckled and said good night. Gwen exited the living room and made a slowly beeline for her bedroom. When she finally laid down in bed she let a sigh come from her lips as she closed her eyes, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Author's Note: <strong>

**I was hoping that this would have been posted early, but I had bad writer's block and wrote about nine pages then started over. **

**Chapter 9 is a coming! Don't worry your pretty little heads. **

**I want you to favorite and follow this story. And if you would take the time to leave a review that would be lovely.**

**Till next time my fellow Winter's Children. Auf Wiedersehen! **


	9. Taking a Step Back

"Bucky I'm going out. I'll be back in a hour."

Gwen called as she hit the down button on the elevator. Down the hallway Bucky walked out of the bathroom.

"Where are you going?"

"Just out. Bye Buck!"

Gwen said then the doors opened and she got inside the elevator and the door slowly shut as she pulled out her phone. As the elevator moved down Gwen sent a text off to her friend Jennifer.

_To: Jennifer- On my way. I just left the tower. Can't wait to see you guys! _

When the doors opened Gwen hopped out and walked quickly through the lobby and out to the street. She walked for the next few minutes until she came to a small cafe. This was the cafe that her and her friends alway ate at when they all could take time off of work. When gwen was about to open the front door of the cafe she heard someone yell her name from the patio. Turning her head Gwen saw her group of friends huddled around a table. Gwen smiled and walked over to the gate door of the patio, opening it she hurried over to her friends. Ronda was the first to hug her.

"Girl, it's been too long."

Gwen laughed and hugged her back. Gwen was pasted off from Ronda to Macey, Abigail, then Jennifer. After the hugging was over they all sat down at the table. Gwen saw that on the table in front of her was a champagne glass filled with orange juice. She picked it up and raised it to her friends.

"Really?"

"You know it."

Gwen laughed and took a drink. Ronda looked over at her and noticed the fading bruises on her neck.

"What happened to your neck?"

Gwen looked at her with a weird look on her face then remembered what Bucky did to her. She put her left hand to her neck and gave her a small chuckle.

"Nothing."

"Gwen."

Abigail said looked at her with a stern look on her face. Looking around the table Gwen saw that they were all looking at the marks on her neck. She let out a groan and took another drink.

"When I was in DC last month-"

"Wait. You were there when SHIELD fell apart."

"Yeah, I was kinda in the middle of it."

Jennifer let out a dream like sigh.

"You were with Steve, huh?"

Gwen rolled her eyes at her friend. Jennifer had a crush on Steve, who could blame the girl. Steve was the ideal guy for any girl. He was tall, handsome, strong, loyal, and a sweetheart. Gwen would be lying if she said that when she first met Steve that she wasn't attracted to him.

"Yes. It was nothing, really guys."

Gwen told them as she took another drink. After the talk about Gwen's bruises blew over, the girls started talking about what the rest of them were up to. Jennifer was now working as a professor at Yale, Abigail was still working at as local news reporter trying to become an anchor, Macey and her fiance were planning their wedding that was planned for late August, and Ronda was the same as ever the party girl of the group. The girls asked if Gwen was seeing anyone, her mind drifted to Brock. She hadn't seen him since the fight on the highway. She didn't know if he was alive or not.

"What about that one guy…"

Ronda said snapping her fingers together as she tried to think of the man's name.

"I can see his face…. what's his- Oh Brock. What about him?"

"Oh yeah?"

"Girl, from what you've told us about him, damn."

Gwen let out a laugh as she took a drink of her third mimosa.

"Did you see him in DC or was he off saving the world, again?"

Macey asked as her and the other girls looked at the browned hair woman. Lifting her gaze from her drink, Gwen cleared her throat.

"Yeah, I saw him, but nothing ended up happening."

Her friends around her booed at what she had said, bring a smile to Gwen's face. The conversation changed from Gwen's love life to Macey and Devon's wedding plans. That was the whole reason for this brunch, all of the women sitting at the table were in Macey's wedding party.

"Here's what I have so far."

Macey said pulling out a large two inch light blue binder. The girls groaned but Macey continued to talk about the dress to the appetizers.

* * *

><p>Bucky stood in front Gwen's office door. He wanted to go in and look for his sweatshirt. Grabbing onto the doorknob and opened it. Walking inside he went to her desk first. Looking around the chairs, his eyes drifted over to the tabletop. Files covered it and he couldn't see the top of it. He chuckled and looked at the papers more. He's blue eyes went to a stack of papers that had his name on it. Picking it up he read over the paper, as he read his eyes grew wide. This was a file about him from HYDRA. He wanted to stop reading but he couldn't stop. He would read the page then quickly flipped to the next page.<p>

After reading ten or so pages Bucky threw the papers. He was breathing hard and he put his hands over his face. The papers flew around in the air like snow as Bucky shook his head and closed his eyes. He took a step backwards and knocked into the chair and sent it to it's side onto the floor.

Bucky watched as flashes from the Winter Soldier came to his mind. Him sitting in the chair, the pain of having his memory wipe, him shooting someone, and him being dragged in the snow with a trail of blood coming from his left arm. While he watched his memories go by he hear in his head the voice of the man that haunts his dreams, doctor Arnim Zola.

Bucky opened his eyes and found himself with his back against the wall. Putting his hands back over his face and slid down to the floor. His body stiffened and he felt a jolt of pain rushed through his body, making Bucky let out a cry of rage.

* * *

><p>Gwen looked down at her feet as the elevator took her up the 39th floor. She was out longer than she had planned to, she had been with the girls wedding planning for two hours. They had gotten a lot done in the two hours. They paired up the bridesmaids up with the groomsmen, the food for the reception, and what flowers were going to be used. Macey had the idea of planning the wedding with her party so she didn't bother Devon with it.<p>

The elevator doors opened and Gwen looked up to see the living room and kitchen were destroyed. Her eyes went wide as she took her first steps onto the floor. Looking around her jaw dropped. The couch was flipped over, the TV was ripped off the wall, in the kitchen glass was all over the floor, and holes were punched in the walls all over the place.

"Bucky?"

She called out as she walked into the room. Her eyes were looking left and right, trying to find a sign of him. She heard something crunch under her foot, she looked down and saw that it was a page from one of Bucky's files. The first thing that came to her mind was that HYDRA had found Bucky and came to take him back.

"JARVIS."

Nothing.

"JARVIS!"

Fear was now in her eyes.

"BUCKY!"

She yelled, hoping that she would get a response in return. She was about to run down the hallway but then a gun was fired from behind her, then she fell to the floor with a scream of pain. Heavy footsteps coming towards her, Gwen flipped over onto her back and saw Bucky standing over her with a gun in his hand. Her eyes grew wide as she looked up at him. She kicked her feet out and knocked Bucky off of his feet. When he hit the floor Gwen tried to get up but the pain from her shoulder caused her fall back onto the floor in pain.

Bucky looked over at the woman then got on top of her. He straddled her waist and hooked his feet around her knees, so she couldn't move them. She let out another scream of pain as the pain from the gunshot wound became more present. Bucky just looked down at her with a blank stare on his face, he had a feeling that he knew who she was, but he knew that it didn't matter. Gwen opened her tear filled eyes to see Bucky staring down at her.

"Bucky."

He did nothing. His blue eyes just looked down at her and his right hand twitched has it held the gun.

"Buck, it's me Gwen. Come on, you know me. Just remember, please."

Bucky's jaw tightened and he brought the gun to Gwen's face and held it between her eyes.

"Please listen to me. You're not under the control of HYDRA. You're not a weapon. You know me, Buck."

"Stop lying to me."

He growled as he cocked the gun in his hand. Gwen let out a whimper and closed her eyes for a second.

"Just look at me, Buck. You're not a weapon. This isn't you. Remember me please. You've been living with me for a month now. We've been working on getting your memories back. It's me, Buck."

Gwen choked out the last part as she let tears roll down her face. Bucky looked at the gun in his hand then back at Gwen's face. Then memories flashed in his mind of her. Them sitting talking in her office, when she told him that it was okay not to be normal, them sitting on the couch at night watching Seinfeld.

Bucky's eyes grew wide and he looked down at the gun. He threw it across the room and rolled off of Gwen. She stayed there and just looked at the ceiling and listened to Bucky breath next to her.

"Bucky?"

He sat up and looked down at her, looking at the gunshot wound in her shoulder. His eyes winded again and filled with panic.

"Oh, my God- did I?"

"Bucky, it fine just-"

"No it's not. I just- JARVIS!"

Still no reply.

"Call Tony."

Bucky looked down at her and saw her phone had fallen on the floor. Quickly he grabbed it and typed in the man's name.

"Hey, Gwen-"

"Gwen was shot!"

Nothing came from the other end. Bucky looked at the phone to see that the call was still going. When he didn't hear anything he hung up the phone and looked at Gwen. He put his hands on the open wound on her shoulder.

"Gwen, I am so sorry. I didn't kn-"

She lifted her hand and placed it over his mouth.

"I know. You're back here with me is all that matters."

Seconds later the elevator doors busted open and Tony came rushing in to Gwen's side.

"Happy is down stairs, we're getting you to the hospital."

Tony told her as he went to pick her up. Bucky stopped him and grabbed her himself. Nothing was said between the two men, they just stood up and took Gwen into the elevator.

* * *

><p>"She'll be able to leave tomorrow morning. Don't worry she's a fighter."<p>

The doctor said to the group of people that stood outside of the hospital suite that Tony had gotten for Gwen. The group was made up of Tony, Bucky, Pepper, Happy, Jennifer, Macey, Ronda, and Abigail.

"She woke up and you may all go and see her now."

Saying those words the doctor was pushed out of the way of the door and the group flooded into the room. Gwen was sitting up in the bed with a bandage wrapped around her right shoulder. When her friends busted into the room, Ronda and Jennifer were the first to her bedside and started shooting off questions at her. She gave them a half hearted smile and answered what she could. Everyone was crowded around her and they all seemed to be talking over each other to the point where Gwen didn't know who was saying what.

In the faces that looked down at her Gwen noticed one face she was hoping to see. Bucky. She looked past Pepper's shoulder and saw him sitting in a chair in the corner of the room. He was just staring at the floor and she noticed that he was back to wearing his long sleeves again.

"Gwen. Did you hear me?"

Her brown eyes snapped away from Bucky and went to Ronda who was sitting on the bed on her right.

"Do you parents know about this?"

"They don't want to know that their only child was shot, Ron."

Gwen said with a small laugh. Slowly after an hour past the group started to disperse until Pepper was the only one left at her bedside. Gwen looked to the corner to see Bucky was still there. Pepper followed her friend's eyes and a smirk came to her face. Taking Gwen's hand in her, the touch made Gwen pull her eyes away from Bucky to Pepper again.

"I'll leave you two alone."

"Pepper, you-"

"I'll see you tomorrow, Gwen."

The older woman said with a wink as she stood up. The sound of her heels clicking across the floor was the only noise to be heard in the room. When the door shut, Gwen looked back over at Bucky, he was still looking at the floor.

"Buck?"

He lifted his head and looked at the brown haired woman in the hospital bed. He stood up and walked over to her with a guilty look in his eyes. When he stood at her bedside Gwen reached out for his left hand and took it in her's.

"I'm so fucking sorry, Gwen."

"Don't blame yourself."

"It was all my fault. If I hadn't have looked at the HYDRA files, I wouldn't have done that."

"What files?"

"The ones in your office. I was looking for something and I looked in there."

Looking down at Gwen Bucky felt even more guilt rush over him as he looked at the bandage on her shoulder.

"Don't say that. Bucky, it wasn't you that did this to me. It was the Winter Soldier. Don't you dare blame yourself. Look at all the progress you've made."

"Look how fast it all was for nothing. If reading a file could trigger the Winter Soldier, I couldn't even try."

"Since when is surrender in your nature, Buck?"

"I shot you, Gwen."

Gwen frowned and pushed herself up onto her knees. She turned to look at Bucky right in the eyes and grabbed onto the collar of his shirt.

"This wasn't you. I am not made out of glass, Bucky. If I was, I wouldn't be here to yell at you right now. I am here to help you Bucky and if me getting shot is part of that, I don't care. I'm here to get the real Bucky back and to bury the Winter Soldier. Don't give me this bullshit about giving up, because that's not you either."

Bucky just looked at Gwen then in a matter of seconds he pulled her into him and placed his lips on hers. Gwen's eyes widen as Bucky kissed her. She paused for a moment and thought about what he was doing then she pushed on his body as he took a step back. Gwen just looked at him with a look of utter confusion.

Bucky looked at her, waiting from something to come out, but nothing did.

"Look, forget this happened. I'm sorry."

He said with a look of disappointment and anger on his face. Turning on his heels he made a beeline for the door. Gwen watched him leave didn't saying anything till it was too late.

"Bucky."

But he was already gone. She just looked at the door and slumped back into the bed.

"For a psychologist I fucking suck with people."

* * *

><p>The next day Happy brought Gwen back to the Tower. She didn't go up to see Tony or Pepper or called her friends, she just went up to her floor. It was cleaned up from the most part, but the damage was still there. On the floor there was still a large size blood stain on the carpet from her.<p>

"_It's good to have you back, Ms, Brewster." _

"Make sure no one bothers me, JARVIS."

"_Of course ma'am."_

She just walked past everything in the living room and just walked down to her room. Locking the door behind her she looked at her room. The Winter Soldier didn't touch anything in her room, everything was how she left it that morning. Gwen hit a switch on the wall and large blackout curtains came out of the ceiling and covered the large window.

With the room now balck, Gwen made her way to her bed and layed down face first onto the mattress. Her face covered she let out a loud long scream of frustration. Bucky's kiss was still haunting her and she was still beating herself up for how she acted. She still didn't know what to do about, but what she did was definitely something in the 'do not do' list.

Rolling over onto her back Gwen looked up at the ceiling. Her thoughts went to Bucky, and not about last night, she wondered where he was. Was he safe? Is he here? Where did he go last night? DId he want to talk to her? Does he even want to see her? Is he even up for still working with her?

"JARVIS?"

"_Yes, ma'am?" _

"Is Bucky here?"

"_Sergeant Barnes is in the gym."_

"Can you put me on the speakers down there?"

"_Yes, ma'am." _

Gwen cleared her throat before she spoke.

"Buck, it's Gwen. I'm not sure that you want to talk to me right now, but I wanted to say that I'm sorry. Last night, I wasn't sure on what to do. I guess after finding out that the last guy I was with was apart of HYDRA and was going to kill me, don't blame me that I'm not so forward with guys. But, I understand if you don't want to see me, or talk to me, or work with me anymore. I get it… I just wanted to know if you were safe… Bucky, I truly am sorry."

Gwen closed her eyes and let out a sigh.

"_Would that be all Ms. Brewster?" _

"Yes JARVIS. Thank you."

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's Note: <span>**

**What a long day! Sorry this came out so late. I've been applying for jobs for the last week and I had to babysit.**

**Anyways, almost 600 views of this story JUST FROM TODAY (Well really from the 25th, but whatever) I'm so happy that you all still like this story! Big ol' hugs to all of you reading this out there!**

**Check out Gwen's outfits from all the chapters here: cgi/collection?id=3941229**

**And as always: Favorite, follow, share it with the special someone in your life (not really), and review till your fingers bleed! **

**Tschüss!**


	10. Ruined Moments

Pushing past Pepper and Tony in the hallway Bucky just walked away from Gwen's hospital room.

"Hey, Bucky where you goin?"

Tony called after him, but Bucky didn't respond and just walked farther and farther away from them. When he to the elevator he looked at the button then to the door next to the metal double doors, he took a few steps over to the other door, opened it and walked down the stairwell.

In minutes he was in the lobby and left the hospital. Standing outside on the sidewalk in the middle of New York, he looked around trying to find out where he was. After looking around he started to walk up the street towards Grand Central Station.

When Bucky got back to the tower he went straight to the 30th floor, the gym. Him and Steve had done many sparing sections in there. Boxing was Steve was different now from back in the 40s, he wasn't the '90 pounds soaking wet' kid from Brooklyn anymore.

"**Steve you don't have to do this." **

"**Buck, I want to." **

**Bucky rolled his eyes at his friend as he wrapped his hands. Bucky turned away from his friend and started throwing punches at the punching bag. Getting a few good hits in Bucky looked back at Steve and saw that he was ready to go. **

"**Ready?"**

"**Let's go." **

**Again Bucky rolled his eyes and got started with their sparring session. It lasted about 10 minutes before Steve had to stop. He walked over to the wall and fell to the floor and started coughing. **

"**Don't cough up a lung." **

"**Jerk." **

"**Punk." **

**Steve smiled and Bucky threw his towel at him.**

Bucky threw another punch at the large black punching bag in front of him. He had been down here since he came back from the hospital late last night. His mind had been on Gwen ever since, now that he thought about it when wasn't he thinking about her. She had been the centre of his thoughts for almost a month. It all ranged from why she was even willing to help him to how good she looked even in the morning before she'd have her cup of coffee.

He was about to throw another punch when the sound of Gwen's voice echoed throughout the room. Bucky froze like a statue as he listen to her talk.

"_Buck, it's Gwen. I'm not sure that you want to talk to me right now, but I wanted to say that I'm sorry. Last night, I wasn't sure on what to do. I guess after finding out that the last guy I was with was apart of HYDRA and was going to kill me, don't blame me that I'm not so forward with guys. But, I understand if you don't want to see me, or talk to me, or work with me anymore. I get it… I just wanted to know if you were safe… Bucky, I truly am sorry."_

He just stood there of a moment and looked at the punching bag. His brain made another rash decision and he quickly removed the boxing gloves from his hands and ran to the elevator. Once inside he hit the 39th button and didn't stop until the door of the elevator shut and it started moving upwards. As the metal box took him higher and higher up the Avengers Tower Bucky's mind kept replaying what Gwen had said over and over again.

The doors opened to Gwen's floor and he rushed out and down the hallway to where he knew that he would find her. As he walked closer and closer to her bedroom he could feels his stomach down flips inside of him. Arriving at her door he took a deep breath before opening in. Looking inside the room was dark, but he could make out the lump on the bed was Gwen.

"Tony, go away. I don't want to talk-"

She said sitting up and turning her head to look at the door, but stopped when she saw Bucky instead of Tony.

"Bucky."

All of the air in her lungs felt stuck as she looked at him. He walked over to her bed and got on it and stood on his knees in front of her. Her eyes never left his as she felt his faces cup the sides of her face. When his lips came in contact with her's this time she closed her eyes. Just as quick as the kiss happened it ended. Bucky moved his face away just enough so that their lips were not touching.

"If you don't kiss me in the next three seconds I'll know that his was a big mistake and we'll both forget that this even happened."

Gwen just pushed her face against his again and kissed him back. She moved her hands up to his hair and pulled on it as they kissed. Bucky's hands went delicately to her neck. Slowly he laid her down on the bed. As the kiss got deep and then Gwen pulled away and let a hiss of pain.

"I'm sorry."

Bucky said as he looked at her shoulder. Gwen let out a little giggle and looked up at him with a smile on her face. His blue eyes looked at her and smiled too. He took his left hand and moved a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"I need to rest, Buck."

He smiled again and laid down next to her and wrapped his left arm around her. Gwen closed her eyes and kissed his arm. Bucky looked at her with amazement in his eyes. She had never been scared of his arm, the arm that nearly killed her almost a month ago. This arm has done so many horrible things in the last 50 years.

"Sleep tight, doll."

Bucky said kissing the top of her head. Gwen giggled and moved closer to him. After a few minutes Gwen was asleep in his arms. Bucky was still awake and listened to Gwen's breathing, every now and again she would let out a little snore.

* * *

><p>Gwen woke up and didn't feel Bucky's arms around her anymore. She sat up and looked around but Bucky wasn't there. Maybe she dreamt about kissing Bucky. Getting off the bed she walked over to the door and walked out into the hallway. Going down to the living room and saw Bucky in the kitchen.<p>

"Hey."

He looked over at her from the fridge and smiled. Gwen crossed her arms over her chest and smiled.

"Hey."

Bucky closed the the fridge door and walked towards her. As he walked towards Gwen felt self conscious all of a sudden. She looked down at her clothes and wished that she would have changed her clothes, they were wrinkled and there was still blood on her deep maroon tank top.

She looked up when she felt Bucky's hands on her arms, she meet his eyes and her face went red and she looked down at her feet again. Bucky chuckled and lifted Gwen's face so she looked back at him. She bite her lip and tried to look away. He chuckled and gave her quick kiss on the lips.

"What time is it?"

She asked with a let giggle. He turned his head and looked back at the oven or microwave.

"Two in the afternoon."

Gwen let out a groan and tried to walk away from Bucky. But he kept his hands on her so she stayed there.

"Where you going?"

"I want to change."

"You look fine."

Gwen gave him a look and pulled away again, this time Bucky let her go. When his hands left her she walked back down the hallway and to her room. Once inside she hurried over to her closet and looked from something to wear. Grabbing a black caragian and a colourful tank top than running over to her dresser she pulled out a pair of skinny jeans. When she was dressed she quickly did a braid in her hair then left her room.

"I was wondering if you-"

When Gwen walked back into the living room she saw that Bucky wasn't the only person in the room anymore. Tony was sitting on the arm of the couch with a beer in his hand.

"Gwendolyn, just the person I wanted to see."

"What do you want Antony?"

"You sound cheaper for a person that was shot less than 24 hours ago."

"What do you want?"

"I can't a friend just come and visit another friend to have a friendly conversation?"

"Cut the shit."

"Bruce is here and wants to have a session with you."

Gwen let out a groan and glanced over at Bucky who gave her a small smile.

"If Bruce is here, where is he?"

"Bathroom."

"Then the million dollar question is why are you here?"

"Well, I'm already a millionaire, and it's because I'm bored. Have fun. Mind if I take the Sergeant? I want to check out his arm again."

Gwen wanted to shout at him that she minded and that she wanted him to get the hell out. But she had other patients other than Bucky and Tony in a weird way was her landlord.

"Go a head. Tell Bruce I'll be in my office when he's done."

Tony smiled and took a drink of his beer as he got off the couch. He looked over at Bucky as the super soldier watched Gwen walk down the hallway. A smirk came to his face as he watched him. Then he heard footsteps coming towards them. He looked up and saw Bruce walking towards them.

"I heard Gwen. Where'd she go?"

"Office."

Bucky said as he looked over at the other man in the room. Bruce thanked him then walked down the hallway. Tony walked over to Bucky and wrapped his arm around the man's shoulder and lead him over to the elevator.

"Bucky, I think it's time we talk man to man."

Bucky gave Stark a confessed look as they stood waiting for the elevator. Tony did say a word until they were inside the elevator and the doors shut.

"What do you think of our little Gwendolyn?"

"Gwen? What about her?"

Tony let out a laugh and shook his head. He glanced over at Bucky and gave him a look as he drank his beer.

"You know what I mean, Serg."

* * *

><p>Gwen and Bruce talked for a hour in her office about what he had been up to in the last few months. He had been back over in India working with the sick people of the growing country. Soon the conversation changed to what happened in DC. Gwen told Bruce everything that happened there a little over a month ago, from Fury's 'death' to her not being sure of Brock was alive.<p>

"Wow, that seems like some intense shit."

"You're telling me."

She looked over at the older man and then to the window that he was looking out.

"I was wondering if you could do a favor for me Bruce."

"It depends."

Both him and Gwen ripped their eyes from the window and looked at each other. Gwen made a mental note that Bruce did look older. He always did when he came back from India. The stress from his work and the never ending battle with the angry green rage monster inside of him at aged him dramatically every time Gwen saw him.

"I was wondering if you could talk to Bucky? He is still a tad bit unstable and doesn't have complete control over the Winter Soldier. You seem like a the more qualified person to talk to him about it than me."

Bruce gave her a light smile and wrung his hands together in his lap as he thought about it.

"I'll talk to him."

"Thank you, Bruce."

"Anytime. So Steve has been gone on a mission?"

"Yeah. Him and Sam have been gone for almost a week now. I don't know where or when they'll be back. Bucky told me the other day that he'd want to go on a mission to take down HYDRA, but I don't think he's ready for that."

Bruce stayed quiet and wanted for Gwen to finish off what she was talking about before he gave her his opinion.

"If reading a file about him being apart of HYDRA can set him back into the Winter Soldier, than going out to a HYDRA base and tracking them down will not help him. Is it bad that I just want to keep him here forever and just make sure he's safe? He has been through such horrible and inconceivable things in his life he should just become a hermit. I don't know if I'm the right person to help him, you know?"

Bruce shook his head with an amused smile on his lips as he listened to Gwen.

"That's why he has you to help him get to that level. Hell, that's why we all have you here. Gwen you have helped all of us. Do you really think that normal people could save the world from alien invaders and have been okay? It's not any different with Bucky. You can help him become a functioning person of society. Look at me, I'm back to saving lives in India and I have won the inner battle with the other guy. Bucky is lucky to have you by his side. I'm lucky."

Gwen smiled and looked down as her face turned a light shade of red from the complementing words of the doctor in front of her.

"I'll help him too. Don't worry your pretty little head."

"Thank you, Bruce. I needed that."

* * *

><p>"Spill your guts. I know you like Gwen."<p>

Tony said to Bucky as they stood in his lab. Tony had completely forgotten that he was going to look at Bucky's arm and he has just been hounding the super solider for the past hour about Gwen.

"She's a nice girl."

"Come on, man. I've seen the way you look at her. Or should I just see if there's anything on the security cameras."

Bucky's eyes grew wide as he's head shot over to look at Tony. He saw that the man had a devilish smirk on his face, knowing that he had gotten a bit of information from Bucky by him not saying anything.

"Yeah, I like her. She kinda likes me, too. Just don't butt into this, it's our personal lives."

"It's my tower I want to know what goes on inside it."

Bucky rolled his eyes and picked up a screwdriver. He didn't look at Tony anymore, he was too embarrassed and angry at him to do so. It was him and Gwen's personal lives and decisions that he was asking about. And this wasn't something that he'd want to talk to the super hero about in the first place.

"Weren't you going to take another look at my arm?"

Tony rolled his eyes and finished his beer before walking over to the super soldier and did want he said he was going to do.

* * *

><p>Gwen and Bruce were sitting on the couch watching some science show that Gwen didn't understand, but loved hearing Bruce geek out over what was being said in the show. She was about to get up and grab a snack when Tony and Bucky walked out of the elevator.<p>

"Can one of you grab me a snack?"

"You have two legs, get it yourself."

Tony said walking into the kitchen, ignoring Gwen's request.

"I've been shot. Get me some damn food, asswipe."

Tony's head whipped around and glared at the young woman on the couch. She had a shit eating grin on her face and he let out a groan as she went to the snack cupboard. He grabbed a box of chocolate fudge pop tarts and threw it at Gwen. Catching them she yelled a thank you to him as she ripped open the box.

Bucky walked over to the couch and sat down next to Gwen as she stuffed her face with the sugary goodness of fudge pop tarts.

"You met Bruce, right?"

She asked with a mouth full of pop tarts as looked over at Bucky. He nodded and looked at Gwen as she eat her food. Tony came over to the living room and sat in the armchair and watched the science show. After about 10 minutes he stood up and walked back to the elevator.

"Not to say that this wasn't fun,but I have more important things to do."

"Because you're so much smart than us, Tony."

"But I am."

Gwen waved him off and made some kind of noise of annoyance towards him as he left.

"You are so lady like you could be the queen of England."

Bruce said with a laugh. Gwen smiled and leaned back into the couch.

"Better believe it, Banner."

Gwen felt something resting on her shoulder and saw out of the corner of her eye a metal arm was resting there. She looked over at Bucky and smile. He was already looking at her and gave her a smile when she looked his way.

"Wanna a pop tart?"

She asked holding out a piece that she had broken off from a whole one. Gingerly Bucky took and it and brought it to his mouth. When he chewed it his eyes went wide.

"This is amazing."

"Do you even know what's in those?"

Bruce asked looking over at the box in Gwen's hands.

"Pure magic sprinkles that a unicorn princess dropped on rectangles of chocolate?"

She suggested as she chewed on another pop tart. Bruce rolled his eyes and looked back to his show. Gwen laughed and continued to eat the rest of the pop tarts with Bucky. When the show ended Gwen grabbed the remote and flipped through the guide.

"I love this movie."

"I am not watching a chick flick."

Bruce said when the movie Clueless showed up on the TV.

"If you don't like it go find Tony."

Bruce laughed and got up and did just that, leaving Gwen and Bucky alone, at last.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's Note:<span>**

**I was posting this last night but I feel asleep. Sorry.**

**Do as the following: Favorite this story (and or author), follow this story (and or author), and review the shit ot of this! Fill my inbox!**

**As always, I love you all!**

**Chapter 11 is soon to come. I hope you like Bucky and Gwen. :)**

**Ciao!**


	11. Date Night

Bucky woke up in the morning on the couch just like how he was laying down with Gwen last night as the watched some movie from the 80s about a rich girl in California. When he did wake up he expected to find Gwen in his arms, but she was nowhere to be found. No smells were coming from the kitchen, so she wasn't cooking anything. Standing up Bucky went to go and look for her, he saw that down the hall that her office door was open and he heard her voice coming from inside that room. As he got closer he heard that she was on the phone and arguing with whoever was on the other line.

"I don't care if that's what you are doing... Why couldn't you have called me sooner about this? You've had me worried sick, Steven… Do not blame this on Sam, you are the one that didn't call… Just come back home soon. It's not the same without you guys… I'm even thinking about doing a morning run… Alright… Bye… Tell them I say hi… Bye Cap."

Now standing in the doorway, Bucky leaned against the door frame and looked at Gwen. She had put her phone down and was just staring at it. At some point she had gotten in the shower and changed her clothes. Her hair was wet and up in a bun on top of her head. She now wore a white long sleeve sweat that had the Starbucks logo on it and a pair of jeans. She let out a sigh and turned around in her office chair to face Bucky.

"Morning."

"You could have woke me up."

Gwen let a lazy smile come to her face as she watched Bucky walk towards her. He walked around the desk and spun her chair around so she face him again.

"You looked too cute."

Bucky smiled and kept his hand on the back of the chair. His blue eyes drifted over to the phone that was now lying face down on her desk.

"It was Steve, huh?"

"Yeah. Him and Sam have been in Serbia and Natasha found them there. They said they should be a few more days, but their fine."

He just nodded and looked back over at her. She was now looking back at her desk and towards a stack of papers. Her eyes quickly shot up to Bucky then she grabbed the papers off the desk and pushed them into open an drawer.

"Do you trust me?"

"What?"

She asked looking back up at him. This time Bucky wasn't looking up at her and his hand wasn't on the chair any longer. He looked at the drawer, knowing full well what was now in there. Gwen stood up right between him and his line vision of the drawer.

"I trust you, Bucky. Why would you ask that?"

"Think of all the times I could have killed you. Right now I believe I'm at six times."

"Bucky, for the last time that wasn't you."

He looked up from the drawer and at her. He knew she was right, but he had a sinking feeling that all of this was too good to be true.

"You say that, but the Winter Soldier is apart who I am."

"It is not. The Winter Soldier and you are two different people, like me and Lindsay Lohan are two different people."

Bucky gave her a confused look when she said Lindsay Lohan.

"I'll show you later. Anyways, I trust you with my life Buck."

"More likely to end it."

"Buck. You are NOT the Winter Soldier. You are a good man. If you can't see that why did you even come to find me?"

He couldn't answer her, he didn't know what he could say. Letting out a groan he went to turn around and walk away but Gwen grabbed hold of his arm, pulling him back to her.

"Don't ever doubt yourself, Barnes."

Standing up on her tip toes and pulling his arm down, she captured his lips with hers. Bucky respond in less than a second. His hands went to her waist and pulled her closer to him. Gwen's hands went up from his arm to his shirt, pulling on the brown cotton fabric. Taking a few steps back Bucky had her pinned between his body and her desk.

"I'm breaking so many of my rules."

"Rules are made to be broken."

Bucky told her in a husky voice as he pulled away just a few centimeters.

"Bucky."

He smirked and kissed her again. Now this lust and greed had taken hold of Gwen, she hadn't felt like this is a long time. The last person was Brock and that's something she just wanted to forget about now. Her fingers worked their way down to the hem of his shirt and slowly started to pull up on the fabric. Bucky was about to lifted her onto the table but then a loud ringing came from Gwen's phone. Letting out a small scream Gwen pushed Bucky away and looked down at her phone on the table, seeing it was Ronda she rolled her eyes and let it go to voicemail.

"I'm sorry."

She said gingerly as she looked at her phone as it rang. Bucky laughed and walked back around the desk, then leaned over the desk and whispered in her ear.

"I'm not."

"James Buchanan Barnes."

She said giving him a smile as she walked away from her. Following him out of the office they walked to the kitchen and talked about what they wanted to eat. From the kitchen Gwen couldn't hear that her phone continued to ring over and over again.

"Let me take you out for dinner."

"Like a date?"

"Yes. What's so wrong about that?"

Gwen looked up from her cereal and smiled at him.

"Nothing. I was just seeing if you were sure about it."

Bucky smirked and took another bite of his bowl of cereal.

"How about 7 o' clock. We can take a walk afterwards?"

"A walk at night downtown New York. Sounds romantic."

She said with sarcasm dripping over her words. Bucky shook his head and rolled his eyes at the young girl in front of him.

"You'll be with the most feared assassin in human history. You'll be safe."

Gwen let out a short small laugh. She didn't like that he labeled himself like that. She did know that it was something that he had to just get over in his own time, not matter how many times she told him it wasn't true.

"It will be great."

"_Ms. Brewster." _

"Yes, JARVIS?"

"_Ms. Oliver has been trying to reach you for the past hour, and hasn't stopped calling since." _

"Damn you Ron. I'll be just a minute."

Gwen told Bucky as she got up and rushed back to her office. Bucky just sat and watched her go. When he heard her back on her phone he turned back to his cereal and started to eat again. After another four minutes Gwen came running back in with her phone in her hands.

"I'm sorry, I have to cancel our date."

Bucky's head whipped around to see the sorry and disappointed look on her face as she broke the news to him.

"What? Why?"

"I forgot that it's Macey's bachelorette party tonight. Any other night but tonight and tomorrow will work perfectly."

Bucky sighed and nodded his head.

"It's fine. When do you have to leave?"

"We're meeting up at a restaurant at 8. You can walk me there."

A little smile came to his face as Gwen put in the last part and gave him a smile.

"I'd be honored."

"Thank you for understanding. And I'm really sorry about this."

"I've got all the time in the world, Gwen. Don't worry."

She smiled and walked over to him, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm not going anywhere, Hoss."

"You better not, dollface."

* * *

><p>Bucky and Gwen walked side by side and hand in hand down the busy streets of Midtown Manhattan. Gwen had spent the last hour getting ready for going out, nearly all of that time was spent picking out her dress. Walking with Bucky at her side Gwen felt like she was on cloud nine, if anyone looked at them they would know that he was her's. She felt happy and safe as she walked with him. Bucky was in the middle of telling her joke when they heard her name being yelled from just a bit up the block. Looking past the people in front of her Gwen saw Ronda and Abigail waving like mad women at her.<p>

"'Come on."

She said with a smile and pulled Bucky towards her two friends. When they got up to them her friends couldn't take their eyes off of Bucky.

"Um, Gweny. This is a girl's night."

Ronda said as her eyes looked Bucky up and down. Watching the blonde haired girl's eyes Bucky moved his left hand that held Gwen's behind his back just a bit, so she couldn't see his fingers.

"I know. He was just dropping me off."

Both girls nodded and looked at their friend winked. Rolling her eyes Gwen turned to face Bucky and let out a small giggle.

"Thanks for the walk. I'll call you when I wanna come home."

"Have fun."

"I will. Bye Buck."

He smiled and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. Gwen's face turned beet red as she heard her friends make 'oooh and aww' noises at them.

"Bye dollface."

Bucky said with a smile on his face and then let go of Gwen's hand. Quickly he shoved his hand into his zip hoodie pocket it and started to walk back to Avengers Tower. Gwen watched as Bucky left and then Ronda wrapped her arm around her friend's shoulders.

"Who in the fuck was that?"

"James. I met him a little bit ago."

"And you didn't feel like telling us about him at brunch?!"

Abigail said acting hurt as her and Ronda walked the brunette into the restaurant.

"How come I've seen him before?"

Abigail asked as they walked to the table that the rest of the girls were at. Gwen shrugged her shoulders then Ronda piped in.

"He was at the hospital. You bitch, not telling us about him than."

Gwen was about to say something but they had arrived at the table and Gwen was swallowed by Macey's arms.

"I'm so happy you made it. We were beginning to worry about you."

"It's a little hard to pick a dress that hid my shoulder enough and not look like I was going to your funeral."

Macey laughed and ushered Gwen to her seat next to her. Ronda and Abigail had already sat down and Gwen looked over at Jennifer across the table.

"Hey Jenny."

She said standing up hugging her over the table. Just when Gwen sat down for a second time Ronda opened her mouth and told the other two girls about Bucky.

"Our little Gwen was dropped off by a guy."

"Oh, my God. Who?"

Jennifer asked putting down her drink menu to look at Gwen. When she said nothing Ronda continued.

"He's name is James and he was at the hospital the other night, and we did get introduced!"

"Hello, earth to Gwen. We are your best friends. We need to know about these things!"

"Well excuse me for not saying anything. I was shot after all. And telling her best friends about a boy is much more important."

The four girls booed at her and she laughed.

"What about Brock, Gwen? From what you've told us, God he sounds like a man I would never leave."

Ronda said making a growling noise at the end, making everyone laugh. Yeah, Gwen maybe shared a bit too much about her and Brock's sexual relationship with her friends, but that was just how their group worked. Everything and anything were up for dissection 24/ 7.

"I don't know. I haven't heard from him in a while. I mean we were never anything serious."

"I'd make him serious."

Gwen threw her napkin at Ronda, to which she stuck her tongue out at her friend.

* * *

><p>After dinner the girls walked about four blocks away to the bar that was their home base. Carlton's. It was owned by Jennifer's brother-in-law, Cedric, and they girls have been going there ever since they came to New York all together. Walking into the bar there was a section made for for the girls in the packed bar. When they got over there they found a bottle of champagne on ice, waiting for them.<p>

Macey picked up the note that was next to it and read it out loud.

"To Macey and the party bitches. I can't believe that you and Devon are really doing this. You both are fucking crazy to get married, don't do it! It's a trap! Anyways, you ladies have a wonderful night and horrible miserable morning. Love, Tony Stark."

All of the girls laughed at the note.

"This is going in a frame and I'm hanging it in my living room."

Macey said as she laughed at Tony's note, then tucked it away in her clutch Picking up the bottle Macey went to open it and looked at her bridal party.

"Well, ladies?"

Gwen smiled and raised her hands in the air.

"Let's get drinking, bitches!"

Macey laughed and popped open the bottle and took a swig of it then passing it to Gwen. Jennifer grabbed the glasses and passed them out and poured everyone a glass. Gwen cleared her throat and held up her drink and looked around the small circle.

"Girls, we are saying goodbye to our dearest Macey Cora Ann Vonn."

Macey went to protest what was coming out of Gwen's mouth and tell her that she wasn't dying, but Gwen continued on.

"For in a few short months she will become Macey Cora Ann Ericsson. Watching you plan this amazing wedding over the past year has made me count down the days until you and Devon are married, because this is going to be the wedding of the century! The four of us have been friends for the last 10 years of our lives and what a crazy ride it has been. We could all be standing here tonight if it hadn't been for Macey. We are all here because our level headed control freak Macey has talked us down from so many ledges. Without her Ronda would have moved to Chicago with that business guy, Jenny would have settled down with her college sweetheart and could have like five kids by now, Abbs would have never London to come back to us here in 'Merica, and I would have been back in LA working with stuck up celebrities and now I'm working with superheros. Some thank you's are in order, but first I want to say one last thing as the maid of honor, Macey I can not wait to see you and Devon in 10 years and you had two kids and your driving them to soccer practice and having us come to their games. You and Devon deserve the best and the best is yet to come. I'm so proud of you, Macey. To the bride!"

"To the bride!"

With tears in her eyes Macey hugged Gwen. She laughed and took a drink as she was being hugged. When Macey let go she threw her drink back and then let out a whoo.

"Oh shit."

Gwen said to herself with a smile, knowing that the night was far from over.

* * *

><p>Gwen hopped out of the cab and waved at the girls inside.<p>

"I'll miss you girls! Call me!"

All four of them said something in return but Gwen didn't hear it or understand what was being yelled at her. She giggled and shut the sliding door of the van and turned to look up the Avengers Tower. Almost losing her balance up looking up she laughed at herself then walked to the front doors of the tower. Opening her clutch purse she found her key card and held it up to the door. The light turned green and the doors opened for her. Stumbling in Gwen tried to walk over to the elevators that were on the other side of the room. After cursing herself and Tony she got to the doors minutes later. When the opened she almost fell in up caught herself on the railing along the edge of the wall.

"_Ms. Brewster. Good to have you back ma'am." _

"Take me home JARVIS!"

She ordered and raised her finger in the air like she was some kind of middle ages king in England. What felt like hours, in which were actually less than a minute, Gwen found herself on the 39th floor and stumbling down the hallway. As she walked she dropped her clutch on the floor and pushed the jacket over her shoulders and onto the floor. Opening the first door she same to Gwen found herself in a darken bedroom. Stumbling over to the king size bed in the dark Gwen flopped down on the bed and kicked her shoes off. Laying in the bed in only her dress she stretched out her arms and let out another giggle.

"I'm a snow angel."

"Gwen?"

Looking over at the door she saw Bucky standing in the doorway in his boxers and a white tshirt. She gave him a devilish smile and waved at him.

"Just the man I was looking for."

She said seating up and looking at him. Gwen lifted herself off the bed and started to walk towards him, trying to keep a straight line.

"Gwen, you need to get to bed."

Lifting her pointer finger to his lips she silenced him. Slowly Gwen trailed her finger down from his lips and down his chest.

"Always so bossy. I think you need to take a load off Sergarnet."

"Gwen-"

But her lips crushed into his and her hands pulled upward on his shirt. Quickly he kissed back and picked her up in his arms, leading her over to his bed. Gwen successfully pulled the shirt from his body and ran her hands up and down his torso.

"Bucky. I need you."

She said as they kissed. Bucky stopped for a second and pulled his lips away from her's. Her face was flushed red and her pupils were dilated so much that he could barely see her brown irises.

"Babydoll, you need to get some sleep."

"No. Let me do this."

She said rolling over so she was on top of him. He looked up at her and wanted to go along with whatever she had plan, but he knew he shouldn't.

"Gwen."

She groaned and rolled over again so she was laying next to him. After about a minute Bucky looked over at her and saw she was asleep. He chuckled to himself and picked her up. With one arm he held her and with the other he got the bed ready. Laying her down first then getting in next to her. He wrapped his arm around her and kissed her back.

"Goodnight, babydoll."

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's<span>**** Note: **

**Yeah, Steve and Sam will be coming back soon. Hopefully we'll see more of the Avengers. I don't know yet. **

**What does everyone think? Chapter 12 can't come any sooner, huh? **

**Be a good samaitan and do the right thing: follow, favorite, and review**

**Chapter 12 is soon my Winter's Children.**

**Don't forget to check out the dress: cgi/collection?id=3941229**

**Shout out**** to all you out there all over this big green earth reading this! All of you get my love! **

**Auf Wiedersehen meine Lieblinge! XOXOXOX**


	12. Lazy Saturday

A groan of her hangover kicking in, Gwen rolled over onto her stomach. She kept her brown eyes shut tight as she woke up. Her hands grabbed a pillow from the head of the bed and threw it over head head. Hearing someone else's breathing near her, she peaked out from the cave she had made around her face to see Bucky asleep.

Gwen removed the pillow and crawled over to him. She snuggled up to his chest and looked up at his left arm. This was the first time she had seen his arm without him wearing a shirt. Bringing up her finger to spot on his shoulder where the bionic arm met his flesh, she traced the outline of metal. In a second metal fingers gripped her waist and stopped her movements. Her eyes went up to met the gaze of Bucky's blue eyes.

"Stop."

"It's alright, Buck."

She told him and brought her lips to the fingers that were wrapped around her small wrist. After her lips left his metal fingers he let go of her wrist. She put her finger back on hi skin and continued to trace the end of his metal arm.

"I didn't know it went up this far."

Bucky didn't say anything, he just watched her look at his arm. There her fingertips traced over the scares that lined his shoulder.

"Bucky. I'm sorry about last night."

"It's alright."

He told her kissing the top of her head. Gwen smiled and moved closer to him. His left arm wrapped around her and held her tight.

"None of that is anything to be ashamed of."

"How would you even know, Gwen."

"No one is perfect. I'm sure as hell not."

Bucky rolled his eyes and Gwen shook her head. She moved away from Bucky and stood up on her knees. Reaching behind her back she pulled the zipper down along her spine. Bucky watched her wide eyed and a tad confused in what she was doing. Gwen kicked the dress off and looked at Bucky. She pointed up to her right shoulder to the stitches that were there from the bullet he shot at her.

"This was from the Winter Soldier. I have forgiven him for what he had done."

Then she pointed down to her abdomen where a four inch scar.

"This was from Brock Rumlow. He stabbed me when I told him to go to hell."

Turning around Bucky saw a burn mark in the more of the middle of her back.

"From the Battle of New York. It was from the Chitauri's weapons."

Gwen looked back over at Bucky and turned back to face him. Sitting down next to him she pointed to her left leg and a long six inch scar down her outer thigh.

"Car accident when I was 18. I was out partying with some friends from high school and we crashed into another car. I was thrown from the car and the windshield cut my leg open. Then I had my head cut open and I have a three inch scar on my head."

Bucky just looked at her and couldn't stop looking at her.

"We aren't all perfect. My scars might be different from your's but I'm not perfect. No one is."

Bucky put his hand out and touched the scar on her leg. He looked up at her face and saw her smiling at him. He leaned forwards and kissed the scar.

"We have our battle scars they make us stronger. Some come in different forms, but your arm is one of those. This arm saved your life, Buck. Without it you would have dyed in that ravine."

"I would have never met you."

Gwen giggled and turned a light shade of red.

"Well, thank HYDRA for sending you to hunt Steve down then. Because you would have never met me."

Bucky chuckled and sat up next to her. He put his hand on the side of Gwen's face and smiled at her. Leaning forward Bucky kissed her and cradled her head in his hands. Gwen kissed back and worked her hands up to his neck. Bucky worked his way on top of Gwen and pinned her down to the mattress. Gwen felt her stomach rise to her throat and not in a good way. turned her head away from him and let out a deep breath. He went to took her face back into his hands, but she pushed his hand away feeling the sickness wash over her again. Getting up from the bed and ran down the hall to the bathroom. Before she even made it to the bathroom she started throwing up in the hallway.

Picking herself up Gwen looked down at ground at the vomit. She heard Bucky walking towards her. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand before turning to look at him.

"Don't you dare laugh."

She told him as smile came to his face. She rolled her eyes and walked down the hall towards her room. But Bucky followed her and put his hand around her waist. He helped her to her bedroom.

"Could you go get a trash can?"

He looked around the room and saw a trash can by the dresser. Quickly run over he grabbed it and brought it over to her. She ripped it out of his hands and threw up again. Bucky just stood there and watched her, not sure in what to do. Slowly he started walk towards her but she held her hand out.

"I'm fine. Go get dressed or something."

She said into the trash can as she felt the nausea fall over her again. He nodded and walked out of her room. Walking back to his room he looked at the vomit on the floor. He went into the bathroom and grabbed a towel off the rank. Running it under the water, then walking back out to the vomit on the floor. Cleaning it up he heard Gwen down the hall puking again.

"Why do I do this to myself?"

She cursed loudly, making Bucky chuckle. When he was done cleaning it up he went back into the bathroom and cleaned off the towel. When everything was cleaned he went to his bedroom and got dressed.

* * *

><p>"Never again."<p>

Gwen told herself as she got out of the shower and dried herself off with a towel. With another towel she quickly dried her hair. Walking into the bedroom she went to the dark wood dresser and pulled out clean underwear and dropped her towel. Opening another drawer and grabbed a pair of under armour tight shorts. She walked across the room and grabbed a sweatshirt out of the closet. When she was covered she found a hair tie on the floor and pulled her hair into a messy bun.

Walking over to her office Gwen grabbed her glasses off her desk and put them on her face before walking down to the kitchen.

"_Ms. Brewster." _

"Yes JARVIS?"

"_Ms. Vonn and Ms. Oliver are in the lobby. Shall I let them up?"_

Groning Gwen hung her head.

"Sure, let them up."

"_Right away ma'am."_

Gwen rolled her eyes and walked into the kitchen but stopped mid step when she realized that Macey and Ronda were on their way up.

"Bucky!"

"What?"

"You're dressed right?"

She turned her head to see him standing there dressed. He wore dark jeans and a grey shirt.

"What's going on?"

"Macey and Ronda are on their way up here."

Bucky looked confused and then the elevator doors opened.

"Gweny! How's my favorite maid of honor?"

Macey said walking into the room. Gwen looked from Bucky to her friends. Bucky did the same.

"Hey guys. Why are you here so early?"

"Early? Girl it's three in the afternoon. What world are you living in?"

"Sorry. I just woke up."

Ronda walked into the kitchen and to the fridge while Macey went and hugged Gwen.

"Are you going to introduce us?"

Bucky said walking closer to three girls. Gwen just looked at him like she had seen a ghost. Ronda and Macey looked over at him and their jaws dropped.

"Damn, I thought he was good looking last night, but damn."

Ronda said from the kitchen. Gwen shot her friend a look, to which she just smiled.

"Macey, Ronda. This is Bucky. Bucky, this is Macey and Ronda."

Bucky now stood next to Gwen and held his hand out to take Macey's hand. Macey took it and her face turned a light shade of pink.

"So are you the one who's been stealing all of Gwen's time?"

"You could say that."

Gwen smiled and looked over at Bucky who was just surprising her.

* * *

><p>Ronda and Macey stayed for about another hour before Devon called saying that someone from the wedding venue called. Macey ran out like she was in labor.<p>

"Sorry. Bye! It was nice to met you Bucky!"

He waved from the table as Macey got into the elevator. Now it was just Ronda was left and she was in the middle of eating some food she took from the kitchen.

"Ron, don't you think it's time you'd get going?"

Gwen asked walking back over to the table. Ronda looked up from her sandwich to met Gwen's stare. She raised her eyebrows and gave her a wink.

"Oh, I see how it is."

Ronda said standing up dramatically. Gwen rolled her eyes as her friend looked over at Bucky.

"I totally understand. He's hot."

Gwen rolled her eyes again and hugged her.

"Seriously, if you're not tapping that you're no longer my friend."

Ronda told her in a voice so only Gwen could hear her. Letting out a laugh Gwen shook her head.

"I'm serious, Gwendolyn. I'll be happy to take him on."

"Go."

Gwen said shoving her away. Ronda laughed and waved at Bucky.

"Bye Bucky."

"Nice to meet you officially Ronda."

Gwen walked Ronda over to the elevator and pretty much shoved her into the elevator. When the doors shut Gwen turned around and let out a sigh.

"Well that was fun."

Bucky said with a chuckle from the table. Gwen smiled and walked back over to the dining room table.

"Sorry, about them. Just be happy it was all of us. Then you're in for some real fun."

Bucky laughed again and got up from his chair and walked towards her. Gwen smiled and stopped half way, making him walk the rest of the way.

"I'm guessing I'll have to met them all at some point."

"If you play your cards right."

Bucky smiled at the ground and stood in front of her. Putting his hands on her arms he pulled her into him.

"I intended to."

* * *

><p>Gwen sat on the couch and stuffed a handful of popcorn into her mouth. Her eyes were glued to the TV as Star Wars: A New Hope started. Bucky walked over from the kitchen with a glass of water in his hand and he sat down next to her.<p>

"So what is this?"

"The greatest movie to have ever been made."

"So say that a lot."

"Well this one is. Now shut it."

On the screen the iconic music and yellow text rolled up.

"It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships striking from a hidden base have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire. During the battle, Rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire's ultimate weapon, the Death Star, an armored space station with enough power to destroy an entire planet. Pursued by the Empire's sinister agents, Princess Leia races home aboard her starship, custodian of the stolen plans that can save her people and restore freedom to the galaxy."

Gwen said in a weird deepish voice as she read the text on the screen. Bucky laughed and wrapped his arm around her.

"You're weird."

"Am not. Ask everyone in the world and they will say that this is the best movie ever. Shut your trap and watch this."

Gwen said slapping him. Bucky did as he was told and watched the movie with her. Over the next two hours they watched the movie and Bucky would steal a kiss from her every once in a while, but Gwen would tell him to watch the movie.

When it finally over Bucky picked Gwen up and placed her on his lap. She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck as he looked up at her.

"What did you think?"

"It was good."

He said as he rested his hands on her hips and slowly moved his fingers under the fabric of her sweatshirt.

"Best part is there's two more."

"Wonderful."

He said as Gwen moved her face closer to his. She stopped a few inches away and smiled.

"What?"

He asked looking up at her with concern in his almost bottomless blue eyes.

"You're gorgeous."

"Same can be said about you, dollface."

"Stop it."

She said playfully slapping his chest. Giggling Gwen got off his lap and kissed his forehead.

"I have to go to bed."

She told him as she walked away and down the hall.

"Is that an invasion?"

Bucky called after her. Turning around Gwen smirked.

"It's whatever you want it to be, Serg."

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's Note: <span>**

**I apologize for how short this chapter is, but it's late and I need my beauty sleep. **

**So things between Gwen and Bucky are heating up ;)**

**Chapter 13 will be on it's way soon enough and it will be longer than this one. **

**Favorite, follow, and review! **

**Not going to lie I'm watching all the movies that Netfilx has with Sebastian Stan in them. I have no shame. **

**Until chapter 13 my Winter's Children. **


	13. Questioning Everything

**The only sound coming to Bucky's ears was the distance sound of Gwen screaming. He looked in every direction before he made his choice and ran down the hallway to his right. As he ran he could hear her screams becoming louder and louder. With every step he took her screams echoed in his ears and made his heart break. **

**Finally he came to the end of the hall and a steel door stood in his way. Gwen's screams were coming from the other side of the door. With his left arm Bucky pushed the door back and when it was opened he blotting into the room. What he saw what not what he was expecting. **

**Gwen was strapped down to the Winter Soldier chair. He ran over to her and tried everything he could to shut the machine off. Punching out the computer screen, ripping cords and wires out of their places, then the screams stopped and the machine died. Turning his attention back to Gwen, Bucky pulled the head piece off of her and broke the metal restraints that held her down. **

"**Gwen. Come on, babydoll. Wake up." **

**He told her as he cupped her face in his hands. Gwen's face was unchanging. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was open slightly. **

"**Babydoll, come on." **

**He said in a voice above a whisper as he looked down at her face. He could feel tears welling up behind his eyes as he looked at her unmoving body. Slowly Gwen's brown eyes flickered open and looked up at him with a blank emotionless stare. **

"**Gwen?"**

"**Who?" **

**From behind them Bucky heard a laugh. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end as it echoed throughout the room. Whipping his head around Bucky saw Arnim Zola standing in the doorway. Bucky's face harden and he lunged at the Swiss doctor. Pinning the short man against the cement wall, Bucky glared at the man. **

"**What did you do to her?" **

**He demanded as he held the doctor almost a foot off of the ground. Again the man laughed at him. **

"**You know full well what I have done. You really think you could keep her safe, Sergeant Barnes?"**

"**You know damn well I can." **

"**You have just put your sweet little lamb up for slaughter. Even you surely knew that we would find her eventually." **

**Bucky let out a cry of rage as he punched the doctor in the face. This made Zola laugh again as blood dripped from his lips. **

"**You will lose everything Sergeant Barnes. There's nothing you can do to stop it. Hail HYDRA." **

Bucky shot up out of bed. He was drenched in sweat and adrenaline ran threw his body. He was in his room. He was safe. Putting his hands on his face he let out a sigh as he thought about what he had just seen.

"Gwen."

He said to himself then he bolted out of bed and down the hallway to Gwen's room. Busting in he saw that she was sound asleep in her bed. Letting out a sigh, Bucky leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor with his hands over his face. Images from his nightmare kept replaying over in his mind. Bucky just looked over at Gwen as she slept. Her screams from his dream echoing in his ears with Zola's words;

**"You will lose everything."**

* * *

><p>Gwen opened her eyes and just looked up at the ceiling. She heard voices from down the hall, her ears perked up when she heard Steve's voice. Flipping the down comforter off for her Gwen ran out of her room and down the hall.<p>

"Steve!"

She yelled when she saw him standing in the kitchen talking with Bucky who was sitting at the island counter. The super soldier turned and saw her running towards him. She jumped into his arms and hugged him.

"You're back!"

He laughed as he hugged her.

"I'm back too you know."

Sam said walking out of the bathroom when he saw what was going on in the other room. Steve put Gwen back on the floor and she turned to see Sam walking up to them, holding out his arms for a hug from her. Gwen laughed and walked over to him giving him a big hug as well.

"Well, how'd it go?"

She asked when she let go of Sam and walked over to the island counter. Steve crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Sam then to Gwen.

"Good. We didn't learn anything. We found Natasha and Clint."

"Where are they?"

"We don't know. They left the day before we did."

Gwen nodded and looked over at Bucky. He had a blank stare in his eyes again.

"How'd things go here?"

Gwen thought about what had happened in the last week and a half. Should she tell about how Bucky had fallen back into the Winter Soldier and shot her? How the two of them are now romantically involved?

"Great. Just a few hiccups. But nothing serious."

Steve nodded and Sam went to the fridge. Gwen yelled at Sam that he had his own floor with a fridge and Steve looked over at Bucky. Ever since Gwen had walked into the room he had crawled into his shell. He didn't look or talk to Gwen.

"So Gwen, when are you going to start running with us?"

Sam asked when he got a glass of orange juice. Gwen rolled her eyes and looked over at Steve who was giving her the same look Sam was giving her.

"When I feel like it."

"And that will be?"

"Not today, my friend."

She said with a laugh. Sam rolled his eyes and took another drink of his juice. After a while Gwen got up to go get dressed, leaving the boys alone once again. When her bedroom door shut Steve turned to Bucky and as him looking up from his hands.

"Is everything okay, Buck?"

Bucky's blue eyes look over at his friend and then back to his hands.

"Just had a bad night's sleep."

"We're going out for our run. Wanna come along? I think Cap here needs some competition for once."

Sam said when he put his now empty glass in the sink and walked over to Steve. Bucky looked over at the hallway then back at his two friends.

"Why not."

"Alright. We're leaving in five."

Steve told him with a small smile. Bucky nodded and hurried to his room to change into running clothes. After less than a minute he came out in dark blue basketball shorts and a grey long sleeve shirt. He walked over to the couch and lace up his running shoes then walked over to Steve and Sam.

"Ready."

Steve slapped his friend on the back as Sam pressed the elevator button.

"Ready to keep up?"

Bucky asked with a sly smirk when the doors opened. Sam let out a 'ohhh' and Steve shook his head.

"Jerk."

"Punk."

* * *

><p>"Hey, Steve I was wondering... where you are?"<p>

Gwen said into the empty kitchen when she came out from her room. Looking around she didn't see Sam or Bucky.

"Sam? Bucky?"

"Captain Rogers, Mister Wilson, and Sergeant Barnes left for a run a few minutes ago, ma'am."

"Rude. Thank you JARVIS."

"You're welcome, ma'am. Is there anything else you would like?"

"No, thank you. That will be all JARVIS."

"As you wish, ma'am."

Turning around Gwen walked back down the hall and to her office. Shutting the door behind her she walked over to her desk and sat down. Looking out at her now clean desk, she saw a picture of her and her parents. It was from when she first moved into the tower. They had come to help her move in and brought some of her things from back home. Gwen was sitting in the middle of her mom and dad on the couch. A glass of champagne were in each one of their hands and a smile on their faces. Then in the background Tony was photobombing making a weird face.

The next picture frame was of her darling little cousin, Kayden. He was six and was the son of Gwen's cousin Andrea, they lived in Minnesota. The picture was from Kayden's birthday last year when Gwen flew him and his family to New York. A huge smile was on his face as he looked up at Steve. For as long as Gwen could remember Kayden had idolized Steve, so she thought to give him the best birthday present ever. Kayden was wearing his Captain America hoodie and looked up at Steve with stars in his eyes. Gwen remembered that Kayden freaked out and started crying when he met Steve for the first time. His mom couldn't have been more happy for her son and thanked Gwen more times than she could count.

Then the last picture on her desk was from hours after the Battle of New York. It was of all the Avengers plus Gwen. She had taken the selfie with her phone while they were all out eating swarhama. Gwen had told everyone to look at her and smile. She had the biggest smile out of them all. Tony over dramatic serious look on his face and had his arm wrapped around Gwen's neck, Clint and Natasha were smiling as they held up their food, Thor had a big smile on his face, Steve was flashing his genuine overly innocent cute smile, and Bruce waved at the camera with a laugh on his face.

Gwen let out a laugh as she looked at the shawarma picture. Then she grabbed her phone off her desk. Unlocking it she looked for her mom's number. When she found the landline number for her parents she clicked call and brought her phone to her ear, and waited.

"Hello?"

Her mom's voice came through after four rings. Gwen smiled and leaned back into her office chair.

"Hey, mom."

"Oh, Gwen. How are you? We haven't heard from you in a while."

"Sorry about that. I took on a new client and I've never been so in dedicated to work. How are things back home?"

"That's wonderful, sweetheart. Everything is fine here. Your father has been asking me about you ever since what happened in DC."

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine."

"What do you mean you're fine? You were there!"

Gwen's free hand hit her face. She didn't tell her that she was in DC.

"Yeah, I was called out to help Steve before everything went south. But don't worry, I'm fine."

"Gwendolyn Evangeline. You didn't tell your parents that happened? You could have been killed!"

"Mom, I'm serious, I'm alright."

"I'm serious Gwen. Does this mean you don't have a job?"

"I never worked for SHIELD directly. I'm an independent therapist."

"Well that is good. Anything else I should know about?"

Then in the background on the other line Gwen heard her dad yelling at his wife.

"Is that Gwen?"

"Yes, Harris. It's your daughter."

"Ask her if those aliens are coming back!"

Gwen rolled her eyes at her father's question.

"Your father-"

"I heard mom. Tell him that just because SHIELD is gone, doesn't mean the aliens are coming back. Everything is fine."

Janis yelled back at her husband what Gwen had said and she couldn't help but laugh.

"Are you and dad coming for Macey's wedding in August?"

"We won't miss it for the world, sweetheart. We just sent the RSVP in the other day. Will you be bring a plus one to the wedding?"

Letting out a groan Gwen hit her head on the back of the chair while her mom laughed.

"You're not getting any younger dear."

"I know mom."

"Well are you?"

"I might. It's still up in the air right now."

"Does that mean you have some in mind?"

"Yes, mom that's not why I called."

"Oh, Gwendolyn. I'm your mother. I have the right to know these things."

"Mom!"

"Darling, I worry that you are into your work that you'll pass the opportunity to get married."

"I'll get married mom, don't worry your pretty little head. I have to go. I love you guys."

"We love you too, dear. Thank you for calling. See you in August."

"Bye mom."

"Goodbye Gwen."

Hanging up her phone Gwen smiled and looked back at her picture frames on her desk. She had a feeling that her mom was right. If she was this invested in her work she didn't have time to go out into the dating scene. What was she going to say? I work as a therapist for the Avengers and sometimes I get shot by my patients, but everything is okay. Yeah, no guy ever went for that. The more she thought about that's why she got with Rumlow. He understood what she did and was okay with her being in danger. She knew that he would be able to protect her if the time ever came. Now she wished that he wasn't part of HYDRA and alive.

Groaning Gwen put her head on the desk.

"Why do all the good ones die."

But then her thoughts went to Bucky. Honestly she had no idea what was going on with the two of them. Were they a couple? She felt like they were but they way he acted to her this morning didn't have her feeling that way. Were they not going be the way they were while Steve was here? Then she started to think about the age gap that was between them.

Grabbing a postit note and a pen Gwen wrote down both of their birthdays at the top of the piece of paper: March 10, 1917. November 21, 1985.

Then she put Bucky's date of the first time he was put into cryo freeze: December 5, 1944.

She started to count the years between them and all the time that Bucky spent in cryo freeze were subtracted. At the end Gwen wrote her age of 28 and Bucky's two ages, 97 and 29. She circled the 28 and 29. In the scheme of things Gwen and Bucky weren't that far apart in age, he his had the body and mind of a 29 year old man, not a 97 year old man. Then she wrote down Brock's age of 41.

Sighing she dropped her pen and picked her phone back up. She went to her pictures and clicked on the album that said 'Brock'. Clicking on the first picture, it popped up and showed the two of them out at a fancy restaurant in DC two years ago. Her hair was longer than it was now and in perfect beach curls. She wore a royal blue long sleeve and low cut, tight dress. Brock was dressed in a expensive light grey suit. They were both smiling in the picture. Brock's right arm was wrapped over Gwen's shoulders and her left hand was resting on his thigh. Gwen flipped through the rest of the pictures and let out a sigh. This was how she wanted to remember Brock, a nice, super sweet, and amazing guy. Not a HYDRA agent who was going to have her killed.

Then she came to the last picture in the album. It was taken from when Brock surprised her here in New York. It was a selfie that Gwen took of the two of them out on the balcony with the skyline of New York behind them. Brock's arms were wrapped around Gwen and his chin rested on her shoulder.

Gwen just hoped that if her and Bucky were really a thing that they would be able to do stuff like this. Go to dinner, go on dates, be comfortable with taking pictures together, people not judging them. That's what she was mostly worried about was people judging them. With the weird gap, metal arm, and the fact she's his therapist. People would judge them.

"Why does my life have to be so complicated."

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's Note:<span>**

**Sorry that this one took a bit longer to post. But it was worth it right? **

**I can not believe all the countries that people are reading this from. I went into a giggle fit when I saw that people in Romania are reading this. **

**You all get my love! XOXO**

**Chapter 14 will be here soon! Till then my fellow Winter Children! **

**Follow, favorite, and review! Fill my inbox ;) **

**Auf Wiedersehen!**


	14. Going Down Memory Lane

Gwen walked into the living room and saw that Sam was laying on the couch trying to catch his breath, while Steve and Bucky stood in the kitchen with glasses of water in their hands.

"How did the run go?"

Sam groaned from the coach and the two super soldiers laughed. Gwen smiled and walked into the kitchen. As she walked past Bucky she bumped her hip into his side and looked up at him with a smile. Looking down at her Bucky returned the smile.

"Do you even sweat?"

Gwen asked as she got to the fridge. Steve looked over at her shrugged his shoulders. She rolled her eyes and grabbed a yogurt cup. Bucky walked over to the drawers and grabbed a spoon out of it and landed against the wooden cabinets. Gwen turned to open the cutlery drawer but her hand hit his chest. She looked up at him and saw a sly smile on his face. Bucky looked down at the spoon in his hand and Gwen followed his blue eyes.

"Sergeant Barnes."

"Doctor Brewster."

Gwen turned a light shade of pink as she bit her lip. Bucky's free hand went up to her chin making her look up at him. Gwen smiled and looked over to see Steve was no where in sight and Sam was slowly dying on the couch. Bucky grabbed Gwen's face again, moved her face back towards him, and kissed her. Gwen was brought to her tie toes in the kiss. Bucky's hand cradled her face as he kissed her. Dropping her yogurt, Gwen moaned into the kiss, then her and Bucky's tongues started to play a game dominance. Her hands pulled on the collar on his shirt as she was lifted even higher than before.

"Bucky."

Gwen said in between kisses. He chuckled but then he heard a door shut and broke away from Gwen. Looking up at him in confused but then heard Steve's footsteps coming towards the kitchen. Bucky handed her the spoon and looked over at Steve. Gwen quickly turned around and picked up her yogurt cup off of the floor. Standing straight up again Gwen looked over at Steve who was at the sink washing his hands.

"Gwen, I was wondering if I could talk to you."

Bucky said making her turn back around.

"When do-"

"Right now."

"Okay."

Gwen said then she started to walk down to her office with Bucky close behind her. Her mind started to drift to what he wanted to talk to her about. Then it hit her. He didn't want to talk at all, this was to continue what was going on before Steve walked in.

Entering her office Gwen put her yogurt down on the shelf then she heard the door shut behind Bucky.

"Gwen, I-"

Bucky didn't finish because Gwen had thrown herself on him. He took a few steps back and was pinned to the door as Gwen kissed him. Bucky pushed her face away just long enough so he could speak.

"Gwen, I had a nightmare."

She pulled away from him and just looked at him. A little bit heartbroken that he didn't want to make out with her and the fact that he had a nightmare.

"What happened?"

She asked reaching out for his hand, taking it in hers. Bucky looked down at their hands and his face fell.

"You were in the chair. You didn't remember me… and Zola was there."

"Bucky."

"That's why I was acting so weird earlier. I guess I was just freaked out about it."

"It's okay, Buck."

Gwen said as she wrapped her arms around him. Bucky's arms snaked around her and held on tight. He rested his head on top of hers and closed his eyes.

"I don't want to lose you."

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

Bucky smiled and took in a deep breath.

"You better not."

Gwen looked up at Bucky and gave him a small smile.

"If we're going to keep this up, you need to talk to Steve about this."

"Why?"

"He's your best friend and a close one of mine. Just tell him. Please, for me."

Bucky sighed and rolled his eyes. Gwen slapped his chest playfully.

"Well, if it's for you... I guess I can."

Gwen giggled and stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. As she pulled away she smiled and looked up into his blue eyes.

"You better Barnes."

* * *

><p>Steve walked into Gwen's office and saw her typing away on her laptop. He knocked on the wall, making her look up from her screen.<p>

"Well, if it isn't the Star Spangled Man with a Plan."

Steve rolled his eyes and walk over to her desk, sitting down on one of the chairs.

"I was going to take Bucky back to our old neighborhood."

Gwen nodded and looked back at her screen for a moment.

"That's a great idea. I would come with you guys but I'm about to Skype with Erik Selvig. You guys can go on without me."

"Bucky said he wants you to come."

"Tell him I am a little tied up right now. He'll understand. Maybe I can go with you guys another time."

Steve looked over at her seeing that she went back to typing on her keyboard again. Standing up he started to walk to the door and stopped before leaving the room.

"I asked Natasha if she knew why Peirce wanted you in DC."

GWen's eyes shot up from her computer and looked at Steve, who had his back to her. He let out a breath before he went on with what he had found out from the world class spy.

"She told me that he going to have you join HYDRA. They needed someone with your area of expertise. When I asked what would have happened if you said no, she told me that they would have forced you to join no matter the costs."

Gwen blinked and looked at Steve's back trying to process what he had just said.

"Thank you, Steve."

With that he walked out of the room, leaving Gwen to think over what she had just found out. Her think time was cut short when her computer started to ring with an incoming Skype call from Erik Selvig. Clicking on the answer button Gwen saw Erik pop up onto her screen. Grabbing a note pad and a pen Gwen got ready to hear what crazy things came out of the doctor's mouth this time.

* * *

><p>"Here we are."<p>

Steve said as him and Bucky stopped right in front of an old brick building. Looking up Bucky took in the structure that stood before them. It seemed every familiar. He remembered people coming in and out of the apartments, kids in the street playing stickball, and him and Steve coming from here to Steve's apartment. Now the building looked condemned and that no one had lived there of years. A large chain link fence was around the perimeter of the building.

"This is where you used to live. You were in apartment eight on the fourth floor."

"Yeah, I remember this place. It was a little less well... abandoned last time I saw it. I've had a few flashbacks about it. Some kids were out on the street playing stickball. Moving in here."

Steve smiled at his friend as he looked up at the brick building. Looking around Steve remembered how this neighborhood was almost 95 years ago. It was a lot more homey than it was now. It was cleaner and there were more people. Now most of the street was abandoned and the building either condemned or thrown down.

**Bucky walked into the small kitchen of his apartment and turned on the stove. Grabbing the pot of water that he had sitting out ready off of the counter top he heard someone knocking on the door.**

**"It's open!"**

**He hollered as he put in pinches of salt into the water. He heard little footsteps coming towards him in the kitchen. Turning around he saw his little sister Rebecca hurrying over to him.**

**"Hey, Becca. What are you-"**

**She wrapped her arms around him the best she could and cried into him. Bucky looked down at his sister and slowly got onto one knee in front of her. She moved her hands so they were around his neck now and Bucky pulled her into him, and hugged her.**

**"What happened?"**

**Rebecca continued to cry but after a minute or two she stopped but still had the sniffles.**

**"This girl at school, Margaret Hall, she was being really mean to me and cut off one of my pony tails."**

**She said pointing to the left side of her head where her brown hair was shorter than the right side. Bucky tried his best not to let out a little laugh. This was how he remembered school girls, mean sneaking little devils.**

**"It's not that bad, Becca. Look, I can fix it."**

**He told her and picked her up and put her on the counter top. Becca sniffed away and wiped her nose on her sleeve. Bucky opened a drawer and pulled out a pair of scissors and walked back over to her.**

**"Do you have a rubber band or something?"**

**He asked her. She looked down at her wrist and pulled off a small rubber band and handed it to her brother. Taking it from her Bucky pulled her longer hair into a ponytail on the right side of her head. He made sure that it was in line with where the left side's used to be. When he had the right ready to go he looked back at Rebecca before he picked up the scissors.**

**"Are you ready?"**

**She nodded and told him to do it. Picking up the scissors in his right hand, Bucky got ready to cut his sister's hair. Rebecca closed her eyes and held her breath as she felt the blades of the scissors rest between the pig tail. She heard the scissors make the final cut and she opened her eyes to see that Bucky held the pig tail in his hand. Quickly Bucky took out the rubber band and checked to see if the left and right side was equal.**

**"There. I think you look better with shorter hair, anyways."**

**Rebecca**** ran her fingers through her new length of hair and smiled. Reaching out for Bucky, Rebecca hugged him once again.**

**"Thank you, Bucky."**

**"Just think of all the boys that will like your new hair."**

**"Ew. Why would boys care that I cut my hair?"**

**Bucky chuckled and lifted his sister off of the counter. He handed her back the pig tail of hair and put the scissors back in the drawer, then turned back to his pot of boiling water.**

**"I'll let you in on a secret. We don't really care that you cut your hair, we just want an excuse to talk to girls."**

**"Boys are gross."**

**"I'll remember you of that in ten years."**

**Bucky told her with a laugh as he poured a handful of pasta noodles into the boiling water.**

**"What are you making?"**

**Rebecca**** asked as she went and sat down on a chair near by.**

**"Spaghetti. Shouldn't you be going home?"**

**"Nah, mom and dad are still at work."**

**"You should get home Becca. It's going to get dark pretty soon."**

**"You can just take me home."**

**"I can't."**

**Bucky said as he stared his noodles in the pot. Rebecca pouted and crossed her arms over her chest.**

**"Why not!"**

**"I have a date later. And you can't tag along."**

**Rebecca**** looked over her brother and stuck her tongue out at him.**

**"I saw that."**

**"How? Never mind."**

**She said hopping off of the chair and walked back over to Bucky and hugged his legs.**

**"I miss you, kid."**

**"I miss you too, Buck."**

**Bucky put down the spoon and got back down to eyes level with his sister. Putting his hands on her shoulders he made her look at him.**

**"Don't let this Margret girl get to you. You're strong and you're better than her. Don't make yourself think that she's better than you, because after that she'll walk all over you."**

**She smiled and hugged him again. Letting out a laugh Bucky hugged his little sister back.**

**"Thanks Bucky."**

**"I love you, kid."**

**"I love you too. Don't ever leave me."**

**"I wouldn't dream of it, squirt."**

"Steve?"

"Yeah?"

He said turning to look back at his friend.

"What happened to Rebecca?"

"I'm not sure."

Bucky looked down at the street. His thoughts now consumed with what could have happened to his little sister.

"I miss her."

"I do too."

Steve said placing his hand on Bucky's shoulder. Bucky looked over at his friend and gave him a very small smile.

"What do you say we go get something to eat? There's a good pizza place not far from here."

"Why not."

As Steve and Bucky sat across from each other in the pizzeria Bucky thought of ways to tell Steve about him and Gwen. Taking the last bit of the pepperoni pizza before the crust Bucky looked over at Steve.

"What do you think of Gwen?"

"Gwen?"

"Yeah. I mean she's a good looking dame, right?"

"Yeah, Gwen's a nice girl and she's got her share of looks."

Bucky took a bite of his crust but Steve didn't look away from him. As he swallowed his bite Bucky raised an eyebrow at Steve.

"What?"

"Why did you ask?"

"About Gwen? No reason."

Steve snorted out a laugh and Bucky gave him a look and pointed his remaining piece of pizza crust at him.

"What was that?"

"Come on, Buck. Why did you ask about Gwen? You have a crush on her?"

"Might be a bit more than that."

Bucky said quietly as he took another bite. Steve's eyes grew wide at what he thought he heard his friend say.

"What?"

"You heard me."

"So, you're telling me that you and Gwen are a couple?"

Taking another bite, Bucky took his sweet time answering Steve's question.

"I mean I haven't taken her out on a date yet. But, ever since you've been gone we've been a bit or than friends."

Steve leaned against the back of his chair and looked across at his friend. Bucky ate what was left of his pizza and looked back at Steve, who had a look of disbelief on his face.

"What?"

"I just... Gwen, really?"

"Yeah, what's wrong with that? She's a Harvard graduate with her masters, she's beautiful, and she doesn't care what happened to me."

"Nothing. I'm just surprised is all."

"So you are okay with us being a couple?"

"Why wouldn't I be? If she makes you happy that's all that matters. You deserve this Bucky. I'm happy for the both of you."

Bucky smiled and looked down at the table. He was happy for once in a long long time. When he first met Gwen he thought that she was pretty, but the longer he spent with her the more and more beautiful she became. It was more than just her outer beauty it was how she held herself. She had a good head on her shoulders and she was one of the smartest woman he had ever met. She unlike any of the girls that he had met back in the 40s. The girls he remembered were almost all the same there was nothing really special about them. Sure they were good looking but that was all they had going for them.

"Yeah, I am happy."

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's Note:<span>**

**Yeah! Happy Bucky! **

**I can't believe that I'm already on chapter 15! This is crazy! And it's thanks to all of you! *hugs***

**Follow, favorite, share with your BFFs, and review like there's no tomorrow! **

**Ciao! XOXO**


	15. Left Alone Too Long

Sitting in the dress shop Gwen's fingers flew across the screen of her phone as she texted Bucky. They had been texting back and forth for the past hour. She had given Bucky a phone a week ago and he's been starting to master it pretty fast. Smiling at her phone, Gwen didn't notice that Ronda was now standing in front of her.

"Gwen?"

He brown eyes shot up and looked at her friend, who looked inpatient.

"Sorry, it was-"

"Bucky. I figured. Come on, we have to pick a dress."

"I know, I know."

She said standing up and follow Ronda over to the closet rack of dresses. They have been out for the past two hours looking for bridesmaid dresses. The rest of the Macey's wedding entourage were somewhere else in the store, but Gwen and Ronda could hear them alright.

"I don't know what style I'm looking for here?"

Gwen said looking at what seemed like the hundredth dress she had seen that day. She was happy that Macey had gone with using one style of bridesmaid dress and not the popular 'everyone picks the kinda same dress, but they're different'. The wedding colours were turquoise, grey, and eggshell white. Devon and his groomsmen are going to wear tuxedos with turquoise accents, and Devon's tux was to have white waistcoat and the groomsmen were to have black waistcoats. While the bridesmaids had to wear grey dresses

Gwen pushed away the dresses she didn't like and continued to look for the perfect dress. Feeling her phone buzz, Gwen looked over at Ronda to see her looking at two different dresses. Quickly Gwen pulled out her phone and saw Bucky's message.

_When are you coming back? -Bucky_

_Well whenever I find this dress I'll come back. So far I'll be back by...let's say next week :((((_

Cramping her phone back into her pocket Gwen went back to looking at dresses. Then in seconds her phone buzzed again.

_Where are you? -Bucky_

_Mia Amore Bridal._

Gwen rolled her eyes and looked at Bucky's message again and read it over again. He wasn't going to show up was he?

"Gwendolyn! Put it away!"

As if she got her hand caught in the cookie jar, Gwen fumbled with her phone, almost dropping it as she put it in her pocket. Looking back over at Ronda she glared at her and she just rolled her eyes.

"Calm down, Ronda. I'm looking, I'm looking."

She told her as she looked back at the dresses on the rack. Ronda gave her one last look and turned back to the dresses.

"Have you found anything you like?"

"No. This is so hard."

Gwen told her with a whine as she pushed thought more dresses. Ronda laughed and took another dress of rack, holding it up to herself.

"How are things with your super soldier?"

Ronda asked as she looked back at Gwen struggling thought the dresses. Gwen paired over at her with a smirk on her face as she thought about Bucky.

"Things are going really well. When Steve came back last week Bucky told him about us. He's totally okay with it. Things are going really great."

Ronda nodded and put the dress back walked over to Gwen. Standing right behind her Ronda looked around to see that they were alone then whispered in her ear.

"How's he in bed?"

Gwen rolled her eyes and laughed, pushing Ronda away from her. Ronda just looked at her, waiting for an answer. Gwen groaned and went back to looking at dresses.

"I wouldn't know yet."

"Excuse me? You haven't climbed that yet? What happened to you Gwen? What happened to my little sluty Gweny."

Ronda said wrapping her arms around Gwen. She tried to pull her off of her and rolled her eyes for the millionth time at Ronda.

"I grew up. I realized that I wasn't 21 anymore and that I needed to focus on my career here, Ron."

Ronda let go of Gwen and flipped through some of the dresses that Gwen had looked pass. Out of the corner of her eye Gwen saw that Ronda was still looking at her.

"So, now that you're done with Brock... you think you could send him my way?"

"Ronda!"

"What? He's hot and from what you told us fucking great."

"No."

"Rude."

Gwen smiled and picked up a dress and held it up to her, turning to Ronda.

"What do you think?"

Ronda put her finger to her chin and looked over Gwen's dress. She turned her head and then shook her head. Groaning Gwen put it back and moved to another rack of dresses. After another five minutes of looking at dresses Gwen felt someone walk up behind her.

"Ron, if you ask about Brock one-"

Turning around Gwen jumped when she saw Bucky standing behind her. Putting her hand over her heart she slapped his chest.

"You dick. What are you doing here?"

Bucky laughed and leaned down, giving her a quick kiss. Giggling Gwen turned back around and looked at more dresses. Bucky wrapped his arms around her and looked at the dresses with her.

"I just thought you might need some help. And who's Brock?"

"No one."

Gwen said as she looked down at the rank and pushed past more dresses.

"You've been at this for how long?"

"Almost two hours."

"Girls and your shopping."

"Oh shut up."

Gwen said trying to step on his foot but Bucky picked her up. He kissed her neck then put her back down on her two feet. Gwen smiled and grabbed another dress and held it up to her body then turned around to look at Bucky.

"What do you think?"

Bucky took a few steps back and looked at the dress that she held. It was grey, strapless and had ruffles. He pictured her wearing it and he smiled.

"I love it."

Gwen giggled and walked past him and towards where Macey and the other girls where. She called Macey's name and held up the dress.

"I found one! And this super cute accessorie."

She said pointing back at Bucky who was walking behind her. Macey laughed when she saw Bucky. Jennifer and Abigail moved Ronda out of the way so they could look at him and both of their jaws dropped.

"Where can I find one of those?"

Abby said not taking her eyes off of him. Ronda laughed and looked over at her.

"Hey, Abs you have some drool you might want to get."

She said and Abigail rolled her eyes and wiped her mouth. Gwen handed Macey the dress and the bride studied it. Bucky's blue eyes looked over at the eyes that he felt on him and saw the rest of Gwen's friends looking at him. Ronda pushed the two other girls over to him and went and hugged him.

"How's it going, Buck?"

She asked as Bucky gave her a quick hug.

"It's good. You?"

"Things could be better. These are the rest of our crew. This is Jennifer and Abigail."

Bucky turned from Ronda to look at Gwen's two other friends that he had heard so much about. Both Jennifer and Abigail couldn't stop looking at him, he was gorgeous. Now they didn't hate Gwen for not hang out with them all the time to spend her time with him, they couldn't blame her.

"It's great to finally meet you, Bucky."

"We've heard so much about you. It's good to finally put the name with a face."

Bucky shook both of the girl's hands before Gwen walked over and wrapped her arm around Bucky's side.

"You girls found anything?"

"Yeah, I was wondering where you found this, cause I want my own."

Jennifer asked looking over Bucky again, making Gwen laugh.

"Sorry ladies. I'm one of a kind."

"Well that's not a lie. Seriously was I the last to find a dress?"

Ronda, Abigail, and Jennifer all held up a dress by a hanger, showing Gwen that she was the last to find a dress. Groaning Gwen let go of Bucky and looked around for the changing rooms.

"Let's go get these bad boys on."

Ronda said as the girls started to head back towards the changing rooms. Bucky followed the girls to the back of the store. Gwen gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before walking into a changing room, leaving him with Macey in the waiting area. Bucky sat down on the expense looking white coach and folded his hands in his lap.

"You know that Gwen RSVPed with a plus one."

Macey said as she sat down next to him on the coach. Looking over at her Bucky wasn't sure on what to say to her.

"I hope that plus one is for you."

"You do?"

"You make her happy Bucky. Gwen has been through some serious shit in the last few years. Seeing her happy is like waking up on Christmas morning. Thank you Bucky."

Macey told him as she placed her hand on his leg and smiled at him.

"You're a good man, Bucky."

"That's what Gwen tell me."

"Well you should believe it."

* * *

><p>Gwen sat on the edge of her bed looking at the dress that now hung in her closet. Macey had gone with the dress that Abigail had picked out. It was a strapless sweetheart grey dress. It had cut down the middle at the bottom. She liked the dress but she couldn't help but not to stare at it.<p>

"Bucky told me you were in here. Are you okay?"

Gwen didn't turn around as she heard Pepper come into her room. The sound of her heels hit the floor as she walked over to the bed and sat down next to Gwen on the bed. Pepper followed Gwen's eyes to the dress and smiled.

"The dress is amazing."

Gwen took in a breath then looked over at her friend next to her. Pepper was taken back when she as that Gwen's brown eyes stained red and tears were rolling down her cheek. Pepper grabbed Gwen and pulled her into a hug. When Gwen landed on Pepper's shoulder the tears started to fall again.

"Shh. Sweetheart it's alright. Just tell me what happened."

"I'll never be able to do this Pepper. I'll never be able to get married."

"What makes you say that?"

"Look at me, Pepper! Who'd want to marry this?"

"Gwen…"

"I'm an insane workaholic who works for superheros. Then I get involved with one of my clients? God, I knew that this would happen. What is wrong with me? I've broken so many rules with him. I could have my license taken away for this, and for what? With a guy who has been brainwashed and frozen for the last 50 years. I'm fucking wreck."

Pepper held Gwen tighter and rubbed her back.

"Gwen. Everything is going to be alright."

"What do you know?"

Gwen yelled pushing her friend away and stood up looking down at her, glaring down at her. Pepper just looked at her with a look of confusion.

"Gwen, I-"

She didn't want to listen. Gwen turned on her heels and strommed into her bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

"Gwen, open the door."

Pepper said knocking on it. Sinking down the floor with her back to door, Gwen closed her eyes and placed her head on her knees.

"Go away!"

"You're acting like a child, Gwen."

Gwen didn't say anything and just continued to cry into her knees. On the other side of the door Pepper was walking away from the bathroom and to the hallway. Once she stepped out of the room the door slammed behind her. Pepper turned her head and glared at the door. She walked down the hallway and down to the kitchen. Stromming into the kitchen everyone looked at her.

"Where's Gwen?"

Tony asked as he watched her walked over to the coach. Sitting down and looking over at the window.

"She's not coming out."

"What happened?"

Steve asked getting up from his chair at the island counter. He had the same look of concern on his face as Bucky did.

"I wouldn't go talk to her."

Bucky got off his chair and walked down the hallway. Steve hurried to his friend and placed his hand on his shoulder. Turning around Bucky looked at Steve.

"Bucky, she doesn't-"

"I'm going to talk to her."

He said pushing Steve's hand away and continued to walk down the hall. When he got the door he pushed it open and then stormed over to the bathroom door. With his left hand he pounded on the door.

"Open the door."

"Go away Bucky!"

"Gwen!"

He roared and he rested his fist on the door. Taking a deep breath, Bucky closed his eyes.

"Gwen, please. Just open the door."

"If you're so strong open it yourself."

Bucky sighed and grabbed the door knob and pulled the door off the hinges. Gwen let out a scream as she moved away from the door. Bucky walked into the room as Gwen stood up and glared at him.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

Gwen screamed at him. Bucky just looked at her and cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. Gwen pushed him away and glared at him again.

"What the hell!"

"Gwen, what's wrong?"

"You! You are what's wrong with me! You just came into my life and royally fucked it up!"

"How did I royally fuck things up for you?"

"I'm risking everything I have worked for the last ten years! If anyone found out about us I could lose my license. Do you know how much time and money I have spent to be here? I went to Harvard for eight years! I'm still paying off the loans from that and I'll probably be doing that for the rest of my life. Then you just break into my life and shake everything up! Bucky, do you see what is wrong with this? There's almost 70 years age difference between us. Nothing good can come out of this!"

Bucky just looked at her like he had seen a ghost.

"What brought this up?"

"I was left alone with my thoughts too long. It would be best if you just left me alone."

"No it wouldn't. Gwen we need to talk. You don't have to be alone anymore."

"No. Bucky we don't need to talk."

"Yes, we do!"

Bucky yelled stepping a large step towards Gwen, pinning her to the wall. Gwen looked up at him with fear in her eyes.

"Bucky…"

"Gwen, I care about you. I'm sorry if all of this is too much to handle. I just can not have you in my life. I thought that Bucky was dead a long time ago. Gwen, you saved me. I can't lose you."

"Bucky. I can't do this."

Gwen said pushing him away and walked out of the bathroom.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Author's Note: <strong>

**So yeah. Don't hate me for this, but I have things planned. **

**Sorry about the late update. Shit has been happening at home and it's getting bad and annoying. **

**Always, follow, favorite, and review. **

**XOXOXO**


	16. Hail HYDRA

Gwen sat at the bar with a glass of whiskey in her hands as she looked down at the cherry wood table top. She had been there for an hour and her phone would buzz almost every five minutes. She didn't want to go back, she just wanted to sit here and never leave.

"Did your date bail on you?"

A male voice said from beside her. Turning her head Gwen as man sitting in the stool next to her. Listening to his voice he sounded European. Swedish or something. Gwen said nothing to him and just took another drink.

"It's Jacob."

"I didn't ask."

"I knew you were wondering. And I'm Austrian."

"Again, didn't ask."

Jacob laughed from his seat and Gwen looked back over at him with a look that said she was unimpressed.

"So, why are you by yourself?"

"Look, if I wanted company I would have brought some with me."

"Or would have stayed at home."

She smirked and took the finally drink from her glass. Looking over at the bartender, she caught his eye and pointed down to her glass. The man nodded and grabbed the bottle of whiskey from behind him and walked towards her and Jacob.

"And least give me something."

He asked as the bartender poured Gwen her seventh glass of whiskey. She thanked him and picked up the glass, moving her wrist around making the liquid inside swirl.

"It's Gwen. And if you must know, I'm having a tad bit of a mid life crisis."

"Mid life crisis. You're not old enough for that."

Gwen let out a small laugh and turned her body on the stool so she was facing him directly.

"Well, aren't you a charmer."

"I try."

"Why are you here?"

"I had a big meeting that didn't go well."

"Sorry about that."

"And I'm sorry about your mid life crisis."

Gwen smiled and studied him. He looked tall, about six foot maybe six foot three. He had light brown hair that at one pointed looked to be styled and perfect but now looked a bit messy. He had on a black suit with a dark blue tie. The tie had been loosened and pulled away from the top buttons of his dress shirt. The top three buttons of the white dress shirt had be undone showing off a gold chain necklace. Looking down at his hands he saw that his left hand was holding onto a pint glass of some kind of dark ale and there was no wedding ring. Gwen's brown eyes went back to his face and saw a scar on his chin. It was about an inch long and had a bit of hair growing around it, giving him a small amount of sruffle. His eyes were a pale green colour, in a way they reminded her of Bucky's eyes. They had the same intensity as his have.

"What is it that you do, Gwen?"

"I'm a therapist."

"Ah, you why am I the the one who seems to be therapist here?"

"Because I have the feeling that I'm not cut out for it."

"You seem like a fine therapist to me."

"Yeah, do I seem like the therapist who srews around with her patient?"

"If that's so I think I've been looking for a therapist."

Gwen laughed again and lightly pushed his shoulder.

"Stop it."

"So it that the mid life crisis?"

"Indeed it is, Jacob. And the thing is that I didn't care. I really like the guy and I just blew it."

Jacob didn't say anything. He just looked at her and waited for her to continue.

"I flipped out on one of my good friends, then he came in and I just exploded all of my bitchiness on him and told him that I didn't want to see him."

"And do you want to continue seeing him?"

"Yes. But I'm risking everything I've ever busted my ass for on him. I ever thought that I would be that kind of person."

"Is he married?"

"What? No. He's not married."

Jacob nodded and took a drink of his ale. Gwen looked down at the drink in her hands and then back at him.

"Sorry for dumping this all on you."

"I asked, didn't I?"

Gwen smiled and took another drink.

"So what is it that you do? Other than mess up major meetings?"

Jacob shook his head and laughed. He shuffled his weight on the chair before turning back to Gwen to answer her question.

"I work for a big worldwide business. I came here from Vienna to this meeting in representing our branch. I guess I didn't do everything up to par and now I'm here."

"What did you do wrong?"

"Well, I... we... we lost an asset that was very valuable to the company."

"Oh, that sounds like a doozy. What was it?"

Jacob smiled and placed his hand on her leg. When his hand made contact Gwen felt a sharp pain in her leg, like a needle. Looking down at Jacob's hand see saw a needle sticking out of her leg. Her eyes now filled with worry looked back up at him as she felt dizziness wash over her.

"The Winter Soldier."

He said in a hushed voice with a sickening smirk on his face. Gwen was about to stand up but then she felt her world around her slowly fade to black as she looked down at her leg. The needle and Jacob's hand was gone. She felt herself fall forward towards him and just before she closed her eyes she heard him say to words into her ear.

"Hail HYDRA."

* * *

><p>"JARVIS has Gwen come back yet?"<p>

Steve asked as he sat in at the kitchen table on Gwen's floor. His hands were folded together and his elbows rested on the table with his face resting on his fists.

_"I'm afraid she has not returned Captain Rogers. Her phone is not on either."_

"Gwen where are you?"

He asked himself quietly as he looked out the window. She had left about six hours ago, it was now 11:30 at night. Everyone was worried about her. They have all called her phone more times then they could count. No one had gotten an answer from her. Out of everyone he was worried about Bucky. He hadn't seen him like this before. He was quiet and pasted around the living room with a look of stone on his face. Still everyone who was there when Gwen left was there still.

"It's all my fault."

"Don't blame yourself, Buck."

"But it is Steve! If I didn't get involved with her none of this would have happened! If I would have kept my stupid feeling to myself Gwen would be here!"

Bucky yelled across the room at his friend. Steve was shocked as well as everyone else in the room.

_"I have incoming call from Ms. Brewster, sir."_

Tony looked away from Bucky and up at the ceiling.

"Play it."

_"Earth's Mightiest heroes."_

Everyone's ears perked up and a look of shock and worry washed over all of their faces.

"Who the hell is this?"

Tony yelled into the room, asking the question that was in everyone's mind.

_"Oh, Sergeant Barnes know's who I am."_

Everyone looked at Bucky who was staring at the floor as he listened to the voice.

_"You have someone that we want and we have someone that you want."_

"What did you do to her?"

Bucky yelled not looking up from the floor. A laugh came over the speakers from the caller.

_"Nothing yet. Our patience is wearing thin and I wouldn't stand there if I were you Sergeant Barnes. You know what we are cable of doing. You know where to find us."_

The call dropped and all eyes were on Bucky. He put his hands to the top of his head and ran his fingers through his hair as he turned around and started to pace again. Steve shot up from his chair and walked over to Bucky and grabbed his shoulder.

"Buck-"

Bucky grabbed Steve's hand and threw him across the room in anger. Steve got up from the ground and glared over at his friend. Bucky breathed heavily as he stared over at Steve.

"I'm going after her."

"And where is that? Who has her?"

Sam asked getting up from the coach. Bucky shot him a look and Sam gulped and knew that he asked the wrong question.

"HYDRA has her. I'm leaving."

"Not without us."

Tony said taking a step towards the super soldier. Bucky rolled his eyes at the billionaire.

"No. They want me and I'm going."

"Like hell you are. Gwen just isn't important to you. She's important to all of us. And you think that we are just going to stay here where you go off who knows where to get her. You must be joking, man."

Sam told Bucky as he looked over at Steve who was nodding his head. Bucky looked from Sam to Steve to see that he agreed with him.

"We're are we going, Buck?"

"Where it all started. Austria."

* * *

><p>Gwen's eyes shot open. She went to sit up but her body wouldn't move. She looked around and saw that she was strapped down to a chair. She kept trying to move but there was no luck. She looked around the room to see that she was alone. The room was floor to ceiling of linoleum tiles. The tiles were a light pasty yellow that gave the room an eerie chill.<p>

"Look who woke up."

It was Jacob. Gwen looked to the door to see him walking in still dressed in the suit she last saw him in.

"You son of a bitch, if you don't let me go-"

"You'll what? Call for you precious boyfriend. Yes, we know about you and Sergeant Barnes. You really thought we didn't know where he was?"

"If you knew why didn't you come and get him?"

"We couldn't just go into the Avengers Tower and take him. That would be crazy. But if we waited long enough to see that this Sergeant Barnes had a weakness, and we used that weakness. That would be the downfall to Sergeant Barnes."

"What are you going to do to him?"

"Oh, come on doctor Brewster, you're a smart enough girl to know."

Gwen's eyes grew wide as she realized what Jacob was saying. He laughed when he saw her face.

"There you go. I told you that you knew."

"He's not going to fall for this."

"Oh, he already has."

* * *

><p>Bucky sat by himself and looked at his hands. He could hear Sam and Tony talking to each other in the cockpit as they flew over the Austrian air space. He felt someone sit down next to him, he knew that it was Steve, he didn't have to look.<p>

"None of this is your fault, Buck."

"What do you know Steve. I should have never gotten involved with her."

"She's going to be alright. We'll get her back."

Bucky didn't say anything. Steve shook his head and rested his hand on Bucky's shoulder. Even of Bucky wouldn't say it, he knew that his friend was scared. Bucky had never been one for showing that side. He had always been the rock and the guy, to Steve anyways, that could do anything.

"I'm with you, pal."

"I don't know if that's a blessing or a curse."

"Jerk."

"Punk."

"Looks like we're here."

Sam holland from the front of the plane. Both Bucky and Steve stood up and walked into the cockpit and looked out the window. They were in the Alps alright. Snow and mountains were everywhere. Bucky looked around the scenery around them and in the pit of his stomach he felt sick. He was held in these mountains for years after he was found. Now that Gwen was being held down there.

"We're coming up to the drop zone. Pepper I'm going to need you up here."

Tony called as he got up from the captain chair and Pepper hurried in and took his sotp. Tony exited the now crowded cockpit and went to go suit up. Bucky turned around and went to do the same. He grabbed a black leather jacket and placed a few guns in his gun holsters. When he was ready he turned around as saw that Sam, Tony, and Steve were ready to go. He nodded to Steve then hit the 'open hatch' button the wall next to him. Slowly the door opened and the four men got ready to go.

"Bring her back!"

Pepper called from the controls. No one said anything. They knew that it could be a promise that they couldn't keep. What was going to happen after they stepped out of plane was completely unsure. Tony was the first out, followed by Sam, Bucky, then Steve. Before jumping out Steve grabbed Bucky shoulder. Bucky's blue eyes locked with Steve's eyes and he nodded. Nothing was said between the two friends before Bucky jumped out of the plane. Steve watched as Bucky fell threw the air and flashes from when Bucky fell off the train roll though his mind. Steve shook his head and closed his eyes.

"Come on, Cap!"

Pepper yelled back to him. Steve took a breath then took the jump off of the plane. Then he was falling through the cold dark Austrian Alps air. Below him he saw Tony, Sam, and Bucky. Tony and Sam were both in control of their flying while him and Bucky were flying without any help. He watched as Tony grabbed Bucky and flew him over to a ledge on the mountain where Sam was standing. Then in seconds Tony was behind him and did the same.

Standing on the mountain side Bucky looked over at the other men.

"I have to do this alone."

"No you don't."

"I'll call if I need you. Please, let me do this alone."

Bucky said as she looked down the face of the mountain. Steve looked at his friend and then to Sam and Tony.

"We'll be here."

* * *

><p>Gwen felt someone grab her. She opened her eyes to see that she was being lifted out of the chair.<p>

"Get her out of here."

A man's voice said somewhere in the room. Feeling herself being hauled out of the room but HYDRA agents. Then she was thrown into another room. This time she was in an empty room. She wasn't strapped down. Laying on the floor Gwen looked up the ceiling.

"Bucky..."

She said as she closed her eyes again. She heard heavy footsteps running past the door. Men were yelling things in German that she didn't understand. Whatever was going on it wasn't how HYDRA had planed.

The door opened again and Gwen was picked up off the floor. She looked to her right as saw that she was being moved down the hall. The man was yelling something in German to other HYDRA agents down the hall standing at a door. Those men opened the door and Gwen was thrown inside. This time she didn't fall to the ground she was able to stand on her feet. Her brown eyes looked around the new room and saw the Winter Soldier chair. She had seen pictures of it and listened to Bucky talk about it, never did she think she would see it.

"Doctor Brewster. We've been waiting for you."

Her eyes landed on a man who stood near the chair. He was an older man and wore all black. He had a thick Germanic sounded accent. On his jacket that he wore Gwen could make out the HYDRA logo of an octopus.

"What do you want with me?"

"What do I want with you? You are none of my insects Fraulein. The one I'm incepted in is the one who you and Captain America stole from us."

"We didn't steal Bucky from you. He left on his own."

"Is that so? Are you so sure of yourself Doctor? I intend to take back what is HYDRA's."

"You were planning on killing him anyways. If we didn't take down Project Insight you would have had Bucky on the list of targets."

"You were on it to my dear. If we would have succeeded you would not be here."

"What do you want with Bucky?"

"Such feelings you have for him, Doctor."

"What do you know?"

"We know everything Fraulein. We have known every step that the Winter Soldier had made since 1945."

"The Winter Soldier is dead."

"Again, are you so sure about that?"

Gwen was about to say something when the door opened and she was grabbed by more HYDRA agents. She was pulled over to the corner of the room where the man was standing. Then the door opened again, more HYDRA agents walked in and behind them Bucky walked in.

"Bucky!"

Gwen yelled, trying to break free from the grip of the agents. Bucky looked up to she her and went to hurry over to her but the agents pointed guns at both Gwen and Bucky.

"Oh, not so fast."

The man said with a smile as he walked over to Gwen and put his hand on her chin.

"Let her go."

"Or what? You make one wrong move and she dies."

The man asked turning around looking over at Bucky, with his hand still on Gwen. Bucky's jaw locked as he stared daggers into the man. The man smiled and turned back to the the agents and with a wave of his hand the agents took Gwen over to the Winter Soldier chair.

"No! Don't!"

Bucky yelled as he watched the men move Gwen to the chair. A gun was fired and Gwen screamed. Anger raised back into Bucky as he saw blood dripping from Gwen's stomach.

"What did I say?"

THe man said walking over to Bucky and stood in front of him. Bucky wanted to grab him by the neck and twist. But his eyes didn't leave Gwen.

"You know what you have to do to save her Winter Soldier."

The man said looking over at Gwen as she was being put into the chair. Bucky looked down and shook his head. Gwen looked over at him with tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Bucky, no! You can't."

"сделать это"

Bucky said with no emotion is his voice. The man laughed and snapped his fingers and the agents took Gwen off of the chair, and the other agents pushed Bucky towards the chair. Gwen watched Bucky sit down in the chair. She kicked and tried to move her arms, trying to break free to run to Bucky's side.

"No! Bucky you don't have to do this! Please!"

She cried as she seemed to watch in slow motion as the chair started to turn on. Metal restraints collapsed over Bucky's wrists and his upper arms. Bucky's eyes were closed as he remembered the pain that was to be inflicted on him a few seconds.

"Away with her."

The man said waving his hand in the arm to the agents that held onto Gwen. She shook her head and tried to move again. Then a gun was put to her head, making her stop moving. The man looked back over at her again and smirked. Her eyes went from him to Bucky. The chair was now on and the headpiece was lowering over Bucky's face.

"Bucky!"

She screamed. Gwen whipped her herad back and head butte the agent behind her then she kneed the agents that held her arms. She quickly grabbed the gun from the agent's hands and shot the chair. Another gun shot was fired and Gwen fell to the floor in pain. The man laughed and as he walked over to her and looked down at her.

"Look what you have done to your sweet little lamb, Winter Soldier. Such a shame, she had so much to offer us. Hail HYDRA."

Gwen looked up at the man and saw the gun in his hand. She shut her eyes in pain and held onto her stomach, trying to put pressure on the two bullet holes that were in her. Before she blacked out Gwen heard more gunshots.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Author's Note: <strong>

**Here you go. Gwen can be a bitch. But things are going to get better I promise! It may seem bad but it's all going to be alright! **

**Follow, favorite, and review till your fingers bleed. **

**XOXO I love you all!**


	17. As You Wish

"**Bucky! Please! You don't have to do this!" **

**Gwen screamed as she watched the headpiece went over his face and the lights started to go off on the machine. Then Gwen's screams were muffled out by Bucky's. Gwen hung her head and the tears streamed down her face as she listened to him scream. She tried to drown out his screams with her own. She couldn't listen to that anymore. **

**A hand grabbed her hair and made her look at Bucky. She closed her eyes and continued to cry. When the screaming stopped Gwen was thrown to the ground. Landing on her hands and knees, Gwen looked down at the floor, not wanting to look up to see what had happened to the man that she cared about. Hearing footstep stopping in front of her Gwen's eyes slowly looked up and saw Bucky standing in front of her.**

"**Bucky…" **

**His face was hard as stone as she looked up at him. His hand went to his side and he pulled a gun out of a holster. Cocking it back he pointed it down at her. **

"**Bucky, please." **

**She watched as his finger went to the trigger. Closing her eyes, Gwen shook her head and said his name one last time before one last final shot rang out and everything turned to black.**

Her world of black quickly turned to a bright blinding light. Gwen felt herself sit up but the pain in her chest brought her right back down. Slowly the blinding light started to have dark shapes moving around, then those shapes formed into people looking down at her.

"Where's Bucky?"

She said looking at the man above her. He looked at her then he looked off to the side. The sound of heels clicking on the floor came closer to Gwen. Then Pepper was looking down at her.

"Oh, my God. You're awake."

Pepper was able to get out before tears rolled her cheeks and her arms wrapped round her neck.

"Where is he?"

Gwen asked when Pepper hugged her. Pepper pulled away from Gwen and looked at her with a sympathetic look.

"Sweetheart…"

"Pepper, what happened to Bucky?"

"Gwen... He-"

Gwen went to get off the bed but the pain from her chest fired up again and she fell back onto the bed. Pepper sat to the side and looked at Gwen as she folded her hands in her lap.

"He's in the other room."

"Is he okay?"

"He should be. Gwen you need to stay here."

"I have to see him."

Gwen said as she tried to sit up again, but Pepper put her hands on her shoulders, pinning her to the bed.

"Stay here. You need to rest. I'll go tell him you woke up."

Pepper told her and she stood up and started to walk to the hospital room suit. Gwen looked at her hands seeing the IV tubes in her hands.

"How long have I been out?"

"Four days."

Gwen closed her eyes and let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry, Pepper for everything."

"You have nothing to be sorry for."

The door opened and shut, Gwen was finally alone. She closed her eyes and her hand found one of the two new bullet holes in her. Her fingertips ran along the closed entry wound. Feeling the bumps along her skin Gwen felt tears weld up behind her eyes.

"You just can't help getting shot can you?"

Her eyes shot up and saw Bucky wheeling himself into the room from a wheelchair. Gwen's eyes went to the metal chair that he was sitting on and thoughts of worry and guilt ran through her mind.

"Bucky… I…"

"I'm not in this permanently. They just want me in this for safely. I'm alright."

Gwen nodded her head and tears started to roll down her cheeks. Bucky got up from his chair and walked over to her and sat on the bed next to her. Once on the bed he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest.

"Shh. It's alright, dollface. Everything is alright."

"No, it's not. Bucky… you… I- I'm sorry."

"Gwen. It's alright. What's the last thing you remember?"

"Him saying 'Hail HYDRA' then gun shots."

Bucky smiled even though she couldn't see it. He was happy that she didn't see what happened after those moments.

Bucky looked across the room at the door.

"I'm so sorry that I got you involved in this, Gwen."

"Bucky, if couldn't handle this I wouldn't be working with superheroes. I mean I pictured that I'd have less bullet holes in me."

"That's not funny."

Gwen smiled and kissed his cheek. Bucky smiled and looked back over at her, seeing her smiling.

"That's the Gwen I miss."

With the smile still on her face she moved over in the bed, making room for him to sit down next to her. She patted the open spot on the bed and Bucky moved himself so he sat next to her. Closing her eyes Gwen rested her head on Bucky shoulder and let out a sigh.

"Can you stay here?"

"I'm not sure if I can."

"Please, I haven't had a good night sleep. I want you to keep the nightmares away."

"Gwen, I can't keep them away."

She made a noise as she started to fall back asleep. Bucky chuckled and kissed her forehead and wrapped his arm around her.

"I will protect you Gwen. I can promise you that."

* * *

><p>Gwen walked out of the bathroom wearing her clothing and not the blue hospital gown for once in a week. It had been a long week of her staying in the hospital bed, now she was cleared to go home. Pushing a piece of her hair behind her ear she saw Bucky sitting on the bed waiting for her. She walked over to him as he held out his hands for her. A smile came to Bucky's face as he wrapped his arms around her.<p>

"You look beautiful."

"You are such a flirt."

"It's the truth."

She smiled and turned a light shade of pink as she looked down at her feet.

"Happy to go home?"

"You have no idea."

She told him with a smile. Bucky laughed and stood up, still holding Gwen in his arms. He rubbed her back and looked down at her. He knew that what had happened to her was his fault, there was not two ways around that. HYDRA was after him and they took her to get to him. No matter what Steve or anyone else told him that it wasn't his fault, he knew that it was. He was happy that she didn't remembered that what happened after she was shot. He knew that he couldn't live with himself if she saw what he did to those HYDRA agents.

**"Hail HYDRA." **

**Bucky stood up from the chair and looked over at the doctor, seeing he was pointing a gun down at Gwen. He thought that he was seeing red before, but now a new rage had taken over him. Taking the few steps over to him, Bucky grabbed the doctor by the neck and threw him across the room. Behind him he heard footsteps behind him, turning around he punched the man running at him. Grabbing the agents gun he shot the two other agents that we in the room, then he shot the agent with his own gun. When they were dead he walked over to the two other agents that were picking themselves off the floor around Gwen. One grabbed onto her limp body and held a knife to her throat. Quickly Bucky shot him in the forehead, then shot the other agent in stomach.**

**Walking over to him, Bucky grabbed onto his collar and pulled him off the floor. The agent cried in pain as he looked up at the Winter Soldier then to the other dead agents in the room. His eyes were filled with fear as he looked into Bucky's blue eyes that had turned dark blue from the anger boiling over inside of him. **

**"Please, don't I-"**

**With his other hand Bucky twisted the man neck. A load snap was heard around the room and the agent fell limp in his hands and Bucky let go, dropping him to the floor. Then the sound of clapping was heard from the other side of the room. Bucky's head whipped around and saw the doctor leaning against the wall looking over at him. **

**"You say you're not the Winter Soldier, but that will never leave you." **

**Angrily Bucky walked over to him and grabbed him by the neck, pushing him into the wall. The doctor let out a laugh as Bucky looked up at him with a stone hard look of fury at him. **

**"I am the first of many. You think that getting rid of me will make her safe? You cut off one head, two more will take it's place. You can't stop this Winter Soldier, no one can." **

**Bucky threw a punch at his face, and it didn't stop. He dropped the doctor to the floor and continued to punch him. He didn't stop until he felt the skull collapse under his fists. Looking down at his face, Bucky saw the damage he done. Blood covered the doctor's face and his hands. The doctor's face was hardly recognizable now, Bucky had crushed the bone of his skull. **

**Getting off of him Bucky slumped against the wall and looked down at his hands that were covered him blood. He could feel that blood was splattered on his face as well. He looked from his hands to Gwen's unmoving body on the floor across the room. Closing his eyes he felt tears well up behind them as guilt and regret washed over him. **

**He had done this to her. **

**Getting up from the floor he brought his hand to his ear and turned on the comp system in his ear on. **

**"Steve." **

**"You got her?" **

**"Yes. We need to go." **

**"We're on our way." **

**Letting his hand fall from his ear, Bucky walked over to Gwen and dropped to his knees in front of her. He looked at his hands again then back to Gwen. The tears that were forming behind his eyes now started to fall as he looked at her. He cradled her head in his hands as he cried. The guilt was now eating away at him as he held Gwen in his arms. She could die because he couldn't keep her safe. He knew that whatever happened to her because of the wounds inflicted on her in the last 72 hours was because of him. **

**"Gwen, I'm so sorry. You can't die, not now. I need you, Gwen." **

**He heard the sounds of people running towards the room. He whipped his eyes and picked Gwen up in his arms, before the door opened and Steve ran in ready for a fight. Steve looked over at Bucky as he walked over to him with Gwen in his arms, worry washed over his face as he saw Gwen was unmoving in his friend's arms. He saw the blood dripping from her wounds and he went to ask Bucky what happened, but the other super soldier walked past him. **

**"We need to go." **

**Was all Bucky told Steve as he walk. Steve looked around the room seeing all the dead HYDRA agents on the floor. He eyes lingered on the doctor with the beaten in skull. He turned his head to look down the hallway at Bucky walking away from the room.**

* * *

><p>Gwen stood across the elevator from Bucky and looked at his feet. Her eyes went from his shoes up to the screen that showed what floor they were on. As they neared the 39th floor she looked over at Bucky, who smiled when her eyes landed on him.<p>

"Let me guess, Pepper has planned a big welcome home party for me."

Bucky just shrugged his shoulders and smiled again. Gwen rolled her eyes and walked over to him with a sly smirk on her face. As she stood in front of him, he looked down at her with a raised eyebrow.

"I think you know more then you say."

"What makes you say that?"

"You have no idea how much I hate surprises. Just tell me. Please, baby."

She whined as she grabbed onto his jacket collar. Bucky smiled and let out a small groan at her whining.

"There maybe a party waiting for you up stairs."

Gwen let out a small laugh as she let go of his jacket and started to walk back to the other side of the elevator.

"You are such a sucker."

Bucky reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her back into him. His arms wrapped around her as he crashed his lips down to hers. Gwen closed her eyes as she let the kiss between them happen. She felt safe with him this close to her. She felt the elevator stop then the doors opened.

"Suprise!"

A chorus of people yelled as the doors opened, but they all went quiet when they saw Bucky and Gwen lip locked in the elevator. Then Tony let out a cat call towards them and Gwen broke the kiss and glared at the billionaire.

She saw the group of people standing in the area between her living room and kitchen. Tony was standing next to Pepper, with his arm wrapped around her waist and a party blower hang from his mouth and a glass of champagne in his free hand. Sam was not far from the couple with a balloon in his hand. Then Macey, Ronda, Jennifer, and Abigail stood off to the side with a cake in there hands. Looking around she saw Devon, Macey's finance. The rest of the girl's boyfriends. A handful of people that she knew from the girls. Bruce was standing in the kitchen with a two party hat cones on his head, she knew that Tony must had put them on him. Then she saw her parents standing next to Ronda.

"Mom. Dad."

She said walking out of the eleavort and over to them with her arms spread out for a hug. Her mother was the first to hug her and she pulled her in tightly.

"I'm so happy that you're safe, sweetheart."

"Mom, when did you get here?"

"Tony sent a plane out for us last night."

Gwen looked over at Tony who just shrugged his shoulders like it was nothing. She smiled at him and mouthed the words thank you at him. He just raised his champagne glass at her with a smile on his face. Then Gwen's dad hugged her when her mom let go. Gwen was then pasted around the party saying hi to everyone, every now and then she's catch Bucky looking over at her. Soon Gwen was standing in the kitchen with a glass of champagne in her hand, talking to Ronda and her date Alan. They were talking about sports when her dad walked over to them and stood next to Gwen. Ronda looked over at her friend's father then grabbed Alan's hand and excused themselves. Gwen looked over at her dad who was taking a drink from his schott as he looked at the other party goers.

"When were you going to introduce to your little friend?"

He asked pointing with his glass towards Bucky, who was talking with Bruce and Abigail.

"Dad."

"What? I want to know the man that is dating my only daughter."

"At Macey's wedding. But things are complicated."

"They didn't seem complicated in the elevator."

"He's one of my clients."

"Ah, that does seem complicated."

He told her as he took a drink of his schott. Gwen looked down at the bottom of her glass and continued to talk.

"I really like him, but I could lose my licence from this."

"Is he worth it?"

"What?"

"Just make sure he's worth it."

"I hope he is."

"Well from what I can see is that you're happy. That's all your mother and I care about."

He told her as he wrapped his arm around her in a side hug. Gwen smiled and looked over at Bucky. He was laughing at whatever Bruce or Abigail had said. She watched as he laughed, she had never really seen him like this. After what had happened almost a week and a half ago he was having a smile on his face was all what she could have asked for.

"Thanks dad. How long are you staying here for?"

"Not sure. Maybe a few days. Do you mind?"

"Not at all. I'll busy with wedding stuff. But it will be nice to have you guys here."

Harrison gave her daughter a kiss on the forehead then walked back over to his wife who was sitting in the living room talking with Steve. Gwen stayed by herself and watched the party from her spot in the kitchen. She looked over at Bucky again and saw that he was looking at her, she smiled at him and raised her glass up at him and blew him a kiss. He smiled back and winked at her, making her blush.

"That man."

She said to herself as she took another drink of her French champagne and shook her head.

* * *

><p>After a few hours Gwen's welcome home party started to die down. Soon the only people left were Gwen, Bucky, and her parents. Pepper and Tony were saying their goodbyes as they walked into the elevator to go up to their floor. Gwen hugged Pepper and went to hug Tony but he wrapped his arms around her and squeezed. He was telling her how happy he was that she was home and went off about something about Bucky's arm and Gwen laughed. When he let go of her Pepper pulled him into the elevator and said goodbye to Bucky and Gwen's parents.<p>

The doors shut and Gwen turned around letting out a sigh. She saw that three who were left were sitting in the living room. Walking over to them Gwen watched as her partners talked to Bucky. She did notice that Bucky was hiding his arm from the eyes of her family. Sitting down on his left Gwen put her hand on his leg and smiled up at him.

"What are we talking about?"

"We were just saying that we were going to call it a night."

Her mom said standing up and stretching out her arms. Her dad did the same and they walked over to Gwen and Bucky. Janis gave both Gwen and Bucky a hug and said goodnight. Harrison did the same, but shook Bucky's hand.

"Night guys."

Gwen called as they walked down the hallway to the last available spare room. When they were out of sight Gwen looked over at Bucky's left arm.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"You were hiding you arm from my parents, that's all."

"I just don't feel comfortable with them seeing it."

"They like you Buck, they won't think you're a monster. I promise."

She told him as she took his right hand in her's and started to walk out of the living room, with him in tow.

"Where are we going?"

Gwen didn't say anything and just kept walking. She walked to Bucky's bedroom door and the door opened. Behind her Bucky had a smile on his face as he walked into his room and was lead over to his bed. Gwen stopped just in front of the bed and turned around to look at him.

"They like you. You should be happy, that doesn't happen much."

"What? How many boyfriends have they met?"

"Just a few."

She said as her fingers slowly unzipped his hoodie. When the zipper came undone she slowly moved her hands up his chest and to his shoulders, pushing the dark blue sleeves off of his arms. When the hoodie hit the floor Gwen looked up at Bucky and gave him an innocent smile. A sly smile fell on his lips as he watched her brown eyes.

"I've missed you."

He told her and a small voice as he pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. Blush crept onto her cheeks at his words. She felt Bucky's hands move down her body and when they reached the hem of her shirt he pulled up fabric, pulling it over her head. When her shirt was off Bucky leaned his face down to her and started to kiss her. Slowly, Gwen sat down on the bed and Bucky started to climb on top of her, pushing her down to the mattress. When she was on her back Bucky moved his lips from her's and started to leave a trail of kisses down her neck to where a scar was from when he shot her. He felt gently kisses on the scar. Gwen watched as Bucky went down to the newest addition to her gun shot wounds. He left kisses on both scars. His blue eyes looked up at her and he smiled at her. Moving his face back to her's, he hovered over her and smiled again.

"Gwen, I will protect you. No matter what. No one will ever hurt you again."

"Stay with me."

"As you wish."

More blood ran to her face at Bucky's words. The only thing that went through her mind was a quote from The Princess Bride:

_That day she was amazed to discover that when he was saying 'As you wish', what he meant was, 'I love you.'_

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's Note:<span>**

**I am SO fucking sorry about this late update! My wifi has been turned off, I'm job hunting, it was Thanksgiving, and I'm building my bedroom. My life has been crazy lately. Also I had some crazy writer's block. **

**I am no abandoning this story, don't you worry your pretty little heads. If you want more Sebastian Stan character fanfics go look at my two newer fanfics from The Covenant and Once Upon a Time.  
><strong>

**Follow, favorite, and review dearies! **

**XOXO**

**Again sorry about the late as fuck update! **


	18. Getting it All Out There

**The sound of Gwen's heels clicking on the floor of the helicarrier could be heard from all around the large room of the helm. She was nose deep in files as she walked. The files were all about Captain Steven Rogers and Doctor Bruce Banner. She had been working with Rogers for the last two months. Now that she on the SHIELD helicarrier more paperwork given to her, then Banner had came to her and asked for her to work with him. **

**Her eyes had been glued to the file's contents for the last half an hour since agent Coulson had given her the paperwork. She was so deep into the words that were on the page she didn't hear her name being called from behind her. **

**"Gwen." **

**She whipped her head up and turned around to see Steve running towards her. Waiting for the super soldier to catch up to her. When he stood in front of her she looked up from the paperwork to his blue eyes and smiled at him. **

**"Well, if it isn't the Star Spangled Man with a Plan, what's up?" **

**He looked at her with a confused look for a moment before he shook it off the confusion and looked back at her and the files. **

**"What are you doing here?" **

**"Fury called me in. Do you not want me here?" **

**Steve put his hand on his face as he let out a sigh. Gwen now had the look of confusion on her face as she looked up at Captain America. Her brown eyes look from Steve back to the paper. **

**"It's just whatever is going to happen in the next few days it isn't going to be safe. Gwen, I don't want you to get hurt." **

**Gwen smiled and freed one of her hands from the pile of files, and placed it on Steve's arm. Rubbing his arm, she looked up at him and saw the look of worry that he wore. **

**"Everything will be okay, Steve. Hell, I have the Avengers to keep me safe." **

**She said with a small smile then she shifted the weight of her files in her arms. Steve gave her a small smile in return but the worry in his eyes didn't go away. **

**"I am going to be fine. I'm going to locked in an office reading till my eyes bleed."**

**He gave her a even more worried look, making her laugh a little bit. **

**"I'm kidding. I'll see you later."**

**"I know that. We had sarcasm in 1945."**

**She laughed then walked away from him then down the rest of the hallway. She never heard Steve walk away or follow her. Turning her head around to see him still standing there in the hallway. A smile dropped from her face seeing that Steve still looked like a scared dog during a firework show during the Fourth of July. She didn't walk into the room that was appointed as her office until Steve walked back down the hall from where he came from. Walking into the room she placed the papers on desk then walked over to the chair and sat down. She didn't pick up the papers right away, her eyes burned too much from the reading already. **

**She closed her eyes and let out a few deep breaths. Sitting in her makeshift office she was finally alone for once. For the past 48 hours she had been around people and now that she was by herself, she just wanted to stay this way for the next 48 hours. Gwen now had time to think about what in the world was happening. The Norse God of mischief had come to Earth by using the Tesseract and had taken over the minds of agent Barton and Doctor Selvig, and had killed more than 90 people. Now she was on the hidden SHIELD helicarrier with the rogue God as prisoner down in the holding cells. **

**"What have I gotten myself into?" **

**Gwen asked herself as she opened her eyes to see the metal ceiling. Sighing again she turned herself around in the spinning chair. After making two full 360s in the chair she stopped it so she was facing her desk again. Pulling her phone out of the pocket of her blazer, she flipped through her music and found her playlist of 90s Grunge, then grabbed her stack of paperwork again, picking up where she left off. **

**She read file after file about Bruce and his incident. She knew that Bruce wanted nothing more than to have 'The Other Guy' out of him, and he's spent the last five years trying to tame 'The Other Guy' and get rid of him. He had came to her when agent Coulson brought her to the helicarrier. She was visiting Tony in the lab when Bruce came to her and pulled her aside and asked her if she was the one who was working with Steve. Tony was making some comments towards the two, so Gwen took Bruce out into the hallway and talked to him about what he wanted. Bruce told her that he needed someone else to help him with battling with this monster inside him. Gwen agreed and he told her to go ask agent Coulson for his files and that he would give her any information she would need. Giving Bruce a hug Gwen hurried to go find agent Coulson again. Finding him she asked for Bruce's files, to which he gave her along with more files on Steve.**

**As Gwen read the notes that Bruce had given her when a knock at the door, made her head look up and she grabbed her phone stopping her music. **

**"Come on in." **

**The door opened and Phil Coulson came in two cups of hot coffee in his hands. He smiled at her and said hi as he walked in and placed one of the cups on the desk for her. **

**"I thought you might need a cup." **

**"Thank you, Phil. How has it been? I haven't seen you in a while." **

**Phil sat down in the one other chair in the room, across from Gwen. **

**"Things have been good. I've been seeing a girl from Portland." **

**"From my Portland or the other one?" **

**"Your Portland." **

**"A girl from Maine, I like her already." **

**Coulson let out a laugh at Gwen's words as she took a drink from her coffee. Moving a bit in her chair Gwen got more comfortable. **

**"So, how did you two met?" **

**"I was attending a benefit in DC and she was a cellist at the in the band there. After the band was done playing we had a few drinks together and we have been seeing each other on and off for a few months." **

**"That's great, Phil. I'm so happy for you. Does this Portlander cellist have a name?" **

**"It's Allison." **

**"Allison the cellist. I like it." **

**Phil laughed as his eyes went to the flies on Gwen's desk. He saw that the pile in front of him was about Steve Rogers. He's eyes couldn't help himself, he just wanted to read those files cover to cover. He had taken peaks of them while he waited for gwen to pick them up in the first place, but he hadn't gotten in deep to the files before she had gotten to them.**

**"How has been working with Steve?" **

**"Crazy, is the best word I can think of. I'll start going off about, I don't know, The Breakfest Club, and he'll be looking at me like I'm crazy. I forget about how much he doesn't know. A lot of the past two months have been us sitting at the computer, TV, and at the library catching him up in the past 70 years. He's like a little kid in a way. But, it also been crazy amazing. It's incance that I'm working him. I never thought that I would be working with him." **

**"I never thought that either."**

**"Well, you're the one fangirling about him." **

**She said with a sly smile and a laugh. Phil rolled his eyes at Gwen. Both her and Natasha had made fun of him ever since Steve was found. When he had gotten word that they had indeed found Steve and he was alive, he would admit that he could have flipped out a little less than he did, but Steve was his childhood hero. **

**"I'd love to stay and chat some more, but duty calls." **

**Gwen smiled and stood up along with Phil. She walked around the desk and gave him a hug. **

**"We'll have to do this after all of this is over. I'll have you and Allison over for dinner with me and Steve sometime." **

**"I'd love that." **

**Phil said when they parted ways. Gwen walked back to her chair and Phil walked over to the door. They both said goodbye then Phil left the room, and walked down the hallway.**

* * *

><p>Gwen sluggishly drug her sock clad feet on the cold floor of the hallway to her office. Yawning she stretched out her arms out and then stopped at the door before opening it. She had been working with Macey for the past week during the day, then at night she was catching up on her work with Bucky and Bruce. She had been able to get just a few hours of sleep in the last week. Each night having to be away from Bucky so she was able to sleep.<p>

Entering her office she walked over to her desk opening her laptop and grabbing her phone. Unlocking the phone she called Macey as she booted up her MacBook Pro. When the desktop popped Macey answered the call.

"How's my maid of honour this fine morning?"

"I would love to say that I am wonderful, but sadly I feel like utter shit."

"Still not enough sleep?"

"God no. I stayed up till 4 AM with Bruce."

Gwen said resting her head on the back of the chair, closing her eyes.

"With Bruce. I know that you would have wanted to stay that late with a certain super soldier."

Macey told Gwen, she knew that a smirk was laced on her red headed friend's face as she said this. Gwen let out laugh as she listened to Macey. Opening her eyes she moved her free hand to the keyboard of her laptop and started clicking on buttons to have her Gmail account show up.

"I only wish Mace."

"So, how is he anyways?"

"You're going to be disappointed in me."

"You are not telling me that you haven't climbed that yet?"

Gwen hung her head and let out a sigh into the receiver and Macey let out a gasp.

"I can not believe you!"

Gwen stayed quiet as she listened to Macey flip out that she hadn't slept with Bucky yet. As she waited for a chance to change the subject Gwen opened up her Gmail and looked at the 10 emails that were unread in her inbox. Five were from the Bleacher Report about her favorite sports teams, two were file attachments from Macey, one was from her mother, and the last two were from Erik Selvig.

"Girl, you are cra cra for not sleeping with him."

"I know, I know. You're not the first to telling me this."

She said opening the Bleacher Report emails, looking thought the headlines, seeing that none sparked her interest at the moment. Moving on to the ones from Macey she saw that they were pictures of the wedding cake samples from the other night at the tasting. She didn't open the last three because she knew that those would take time to read and her fully conistration.

"You need to. You and Buck are perfect for each other and you know it."

"Again, you not the first to tell me this."

"Then hurry up and ride that boy like there's is no tomorrow."

"Sadly, there is a tomorrow and it's to pick up our dresses."

"It's a figure of speech."

"Shut it."

"You know I am right. Just let it out."

"Let what out?"

"You know."

Gwen let out a loud and dramatic groan and spun herself in the chair, making Macey laugh on the line.

"Deep down I know it's bad to say this, but it feels so right to finally say this out loud to someone... I want to so badly! I have so much sexual frustration towards him it's starting to become unbearable!"

Macey laughed again. Gwen knew that Macey was shaking her head in amusement at the torment that was going on with Gwen.

"Then go after it, girl. Go get some of that vintage junk."

Gwen rolled her eyes and opened a new tab on Google Chrome and clicked on her favorites on her bookmarks, opening her news feed on Facebook.

"Mace, it's not that easy, okay. From what Steve had told me about how Bucky was back in the day, he was kinda a bit of a player. Plus, I don't want be the first girl he's been with since 1943!"

"Please, Gwen I know from vald scores that you a damn good in the sack. Come on. Not to mention, you were a bit of a wild girl back in the day."

"You are not helping."

Gwen said as she dropped her head onto the tabletop and groaned in pain and being emotionally torn. She heard Macey laughing on the other line and Devon off in the back saying something to Macey.

"I'm sorry, but go for it. I have to go, Devon and I need to go to pick up his parents up from the airport. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye, Mace."

"Bye, Gweny."

Putting down her phone on the tabletop and kept her head face down, again she let another groan. She thought about looking at the emails in her inbox but dismissed against it and her thoughts went back Bucky, as they always do. The way he walked, the way he talked, the way he kissed her. She let out another groan as she thought about the way he kissed her. How his metal arm felt against her skin made her go crazy. Before she could go any deeper into her deep dark sexaul fanaeies about James Barnes, she lifted her head up to look at wall across from her desk. Trying to think of anything but Bucky.

Gwen brought her knees to her chest and she looked back at her laptop. She made a new tab and the Google home page popped up and she typed in three letters on the keys: NHL. The top search came up and she saw the scores from the night before's games. She groaned when she saw the scores, seeing that her precious Montreal Canadiens had lost to the always evil Boston Bruins.

"Those motherfuckers."

She said under her breath as she looked at the scores and then closed her laptop. When her laptop was closed she saw Bucky standing in the doorway. She was taken back for a moment before a smile came onto her face. Bucky was leaning against the door frame as he looked at her with a smile on his face as he watched her.

"Who pissed you off this time?"

"The Bruins."

She told him as he pushed off the doorframe and walked over to her. A look of confusion and thought came onto his face as he thought about who the Bruins were, they sounded familiar.

"Boston. Hockey."

Gwen said as she let go of her legs and watched Bucky walk over to her. He nodded and stopped right in front of her and just looked down at her.

"I would have never guessed you liked hockey."

"Half my family is from Minnesota and I grew up in a part of the US that is pretty much Canada. It's the best sport ever. One of these days I'll take you to a game."

"I'm guessing it's changed since the 40s."

"You have no idea, darling."

Bucky smiled then leaned down and kissed her. Gwen's eyes stayed open for a half a second before she closed them and all of her thoughts that had been running through her mind before came back with a venge. Now that she was under Bucky's spell she couldn't help herself.

Gwen grabbed onto the collar of Bucky shirt, pulling him down onto the chair and on top of her. Making quick work of his shirt, Gwen threw it as far as she could. With the shirt off Gwen wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling on the longer parts of his hair on the back of his neck. Bucky's hands started to pull on the hem of her light purple tank top, then Gwen moved her our hands to the hem and pulled it over her own head. She dropped the tank top to the floor and she didn't take her eyes off of Bucky's. She could read him like a book, his face looked like a child on Christmas morning who got what he had been dreaming about having all year, but his eyes were dark with lust and desire. Gwen knew that her own brown eyes were the same way.

"Well, I'd say that this is one way to say good morning, darling."

Gwen smiled and gave him another kiss. Bucky quickly reasoned and kissed her back, cupping her face in his hands as he did so. Greedly Gwen started to pull away at the sweatpants that he was wearing, but she stopped when Bucky's hands grabbed hold of her waist. Slowly pulled her lips away from his and looked into his eyes again.

"Gwen..."

Letting out a sigh, Gwen closed her eyes and hung her head.

"I'm sorry... I just... I don't know."

Gwen said with slight tears forming in her eyes as she looked away from the gaze of Bucky's blue eyes. Feeling Bucky's hands move away from her waist to her face, Gwen found herself looking back at his face once again.

"It's just all the girls and Tony, keep asking me about us an-"

"They ask about us?"

"Mostly, well all of it is hounding me about how you are in bed. A girl can only take so much. I mean from them asking day in and day out, then you."

"What have I done?"

Letting out a groan of frustration Gwen closed her eyes for a quick second before opening them again, seeing Bucky's eyes looking at her with concern.

"You sitting here. Just your presence makes me, just... ugh!"

Bucky let out a laugh making her glare at him and slap his chest, making him only laugh again.

"This isn't something that you should laugh about. These are my emotions, you ass."

"I'm not laughing about that. I feel your pain. Just being around you makes me go crazy and being away from you makes me feel even crazier."

Gwen let out a small smile and continued to look at him, knowing that he had more to say.

"I feel the same way."

Gwen raised her eyebrow at him to which he gave her a smile.

"But, I haven't even taken you out on the town yet."

"You are so old fashioned, Barnes."

She said with a smile and a laugh. He returned the smile and gave her another quick kiss.

"And you seem to like that."

Bucky said with a chuckle then got off the office chair and stood up. Bending down he picked up Gwen's tank top and handed it to her. Taking it back Gwen looked at the purple fabric in her hands and smiled.

"I'll take you out tonight."

Gwen let out a laugh as she stood up, standing toe toe with him. He smiled down at her and gave her another kiss.

"Oh, a date with the famous Bucky Barnes. I'm honored."

"I'm taking that as a yes."

"You could say that."

Gwen told her with a smile then walked past him and to her room.

"Where ya going, dollface?"

"Getting dress."

She called back as she walked through the door and into the hallway. She smiled when she heard Bucky let out a groan of sexual frustration.

* * *

><p>Gwen looked at the clothes hanging in front of her. She had all of these clothes and she had no idea on what to wear on this date with Bucky. Thinking of all the outfits she had worn on past dates, she knew that this wasn't some date, this was Bucky. She didn't want to wear that 'little black dress', she wanted to wear something that would make a statement. That when people saw her and Bucky together that would see them and know that they the two luckiest people in the world. She didn't want to wear some outfit that people would over look, but she didn't want to dress like a super slut.<p>

"Ugh, I have nothing to wear."

She cried as she looked into her closet, cursing her clothes as she walked over to her bed and laid down face first into her bedding. Groaning she trashed her arms and legs as she couldn't think of what to wear.

_"You must have something to wear Ms. Brewster. You have plenty of clothing, ma'am."_

"Thank you, JARVIS, but if you had some female counterpart that could help me with this that would be amazing."

_"I'm sorry, ma'am I do not. I could however call Ms. Potts, if that would help."_

"That would be wonderful, JARVIS."

_"I just did ma'am."_

"Thank you JARVIS."

Gwen mumbled into the bedding letting out another groan. Bucky and her agreed on the date late that morning in her office. Bucky hadn't told her nothing of their date, but he had said that there would be food.

A few minutes later she heard her bedroom door open and someone sat down on the bed next to her. Turning her head to the side Gwen saw Pepper sitting on the bed with a smile on her face.

"Help me."

Gwen said with whine and a dramatic frown on her face. Pepper laughed and grabbed onto her friend's hand, trying to pull her off the bed. Gwen laughed and let Pepper pull her off the bed and walked with her over to her closet.

"I want something that comfortable and cute at the same time, you know. He hasn't told me that we are doing other than there's food."

"I understand. Now let me play dress up."

Gwen groaned again and watched Pepper look around her closet space. Gwen walked back over to bed and sat and watched Pepper pick through her clothes.

* * *

><p>Looking in the mirror Gwen turned around and looked at herself from behind. She could see Pepper behind with a smile on her face, like a mother seeing her daughter going off to her first school dance.<p>

"You look great."

"You think so?"

"Girl, I know so. Now I'll go see if Bucky is ready."

Pepper said giving her another smile before hurrying out the door. Gwen looked at herself again and smiled at her reflection.

"He's ready."

Gwen heard Pepper call from the hallway. Taking one last look at herself, Gwen turned around and walked out of her room, grabbing her purse on the way out. Standing in the hallway she looked at Pepper who still had the proud mother look on her face. The older woman pushed Gwen along down the hallway towards the kitchen where she could hear Bucky, Steve, Tony, Sam, and Bruce's voices. She could feel her heart in her ears the closer she got to the kitchen. Her and Pepper stopped right in front of the kitchen and looked at the men standing around the island counter.

Bucky was standing with his back to her. She saw from behind that he was wearing new dark washed denim jeans, a black suit jacket, and new dark brown dress shoes. Gwen cleared her throat and the men in the room heads whipped around to see her and Pepper standing at the edge of the room. Gwen didn't look at anyone else in the room, her eyes were locked on Bucky. Now that he was facing her she saw that he was just wearing a simple white shirt. Classy but casual. Looking at his face Gwen saw that his blue eyes were locked on her as well and his jaw was to the floor.

"Ready to go?"

She asked as a light bit of blush crawled to her face. Bucky smiled at her and Steve pushed Bucky forward. He turned to give Steve a look but his friend laughed it off and then Bucky looked back at Gwen.

"Let's go, dollface."

He told her as she walked closer to her and held out his arm from her to take. Pepper nungged gwen forwards towards Bucky. Gwen let out a little laugh as she linked arms with Bucky and he gave her a kiss on the cheek before they started to walk to the elevator.

"Bring her home by 11 or I'll kick your ass!"

Tony called from the kitchen, to which both Gwen and Bucky rolled their eyes at.

"Don't you worry, Tony. I'll bring her home nice and safe."

Bucky called to Iron Man as he hit the down button on the elevator. Gwen smiled up at Bucky as they waited for the doors to open. He looked down at her and returned to smile.

"So, where are you taking me, Serge?"

"You'll see."

He told her as the doors opened and they stepped inside. Once inside the doors slowly shut and Gwen could hardly hear herself think, from the sound of her heart in her ears again.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's Note:<span>**

**Chapter 18! Yay! **

**So date night finally! Update will be out in a few days. I promise!**

**Lots of love XOXO**

**Follow, favorite, and review the shit out of this!**


	19. A Night on the Town

Gwen giggled as Bucky pulled out her chair for her. Looking back at him smiling, she sat down and he pushed her into the table. Bucky walked around the table and sat down across the table from her. When he was in his chair he look over at her and smiled back at her.

"Here are your menus."

The well dressed waiter said handing the large leather bound menu to Gwen first. when he handed Bucky his, he pulled out another smaller menu to him.

"And the wine menu."

Bucky took the smaller menu and looked over at Gwen. He's eyes floated to the menu as he flipped through the many pages. His eyes going wide seeing the prices of the bottles of wine, going up all the way to eight hundred dollars.

The waiter still looked at Bucky, waiting to hear their drink choice. Gwen watched Bucky as he looked in almost terror at the wine prices. Smiling, she turned to the waiter, getting his attention.

"I'm not to sure about him, but I'll have a beer."

She told him with a smile. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Bucky with a smirk on his lips. The waiter gave Gwen a small look then turned to Bucky, hoping that he would talk some sense into her, but Bucky just smiled and looked at Gwen.

"Make that two."

The waiter took the wine menu and left with a sigh. With him gone Gwen and Bucky picked up their menus and looked at the food choices. Gwen's brown eyes looked over to words and smiled to herself seeing some of the main dishes.

"Do we want starters?"

"I'm not sure."

"Well, Pepper told me that this place has amazing crab cakes... if that's your thing."

"Are you not a fan of crab cakes?"

"This might sound crazy, coming from a girl who was born and raised in Maine, but I'm not a fan of seafood."

Bucky lowered his menu and looked across the table at her.

"You are a weird."

Gwen lowered her own menu and glared at him with a sly smile on her face.

"Whatever grandpa."

Bucky rolled his eyes and looked at his menu again. Gwen waited a few seconds before disappearing behind her menu once again. Reading more of the options. Gwen slowly felt her tastebuds start to water.

"What sounds good?"

Bucky asked still looking over the menu. Gwen stopped reading and looked for the one option that stood out in her mind. Looking under the pasta section and found what she wanted for dinner.

"I thought that the roasted duck sounded good. You?"

"I was think a burger. There's a prime angus one, that sounds good."

Placing her menu down Gwen folded her hands over the black leather and looked across at Bucky as he closed his menu.

"Sounds delicious."

He smiled then a beer was placed to the left of him and in front of Gwen. Looking up Gwen saw their waiter standing above them.

"Have you decided on some starters?"

"No, we're going to get right into the main event."

Gwen told him with a small clap of her hands, then picked up her menu.

"I will have the roasted duck."

"Soup or salad?"

"Salad with a thousand island dress, please."

"I have the prime angus burger."

"Would you like yam fries or regular fries?"

Bucky looked over at Gwen with a questionable look. Gwen just laughed and didn't say anything.

"Yam fries... please."

He said not to sure in what he had done. The waiter took their menus and their orders back to the kitchen and when he was gone Gwen broke out into a laugh. Bucky looked over at her and gave her a look. When she was dowe laughing she looked across at him and smiled.

"Yam fries?"

"There are the best. You'll never eat potato fries again."

Bucky chuckled and picked up his beer and held it out towards Gwen. Picking up her own she smiled and held it up next to Bucky's.

"To finally going out on a date."

Bucky said with a smile. Gwen laughed again and they hit their bottles together, then took their first drink.

"I thought we would never be able to get out."

"Why's that?"

"Please, our lives are too crazy to do this, but I am relieved that this finally happened."

Bucky laughed and took another drink.

"I'm guessing you don't want to talk about work or the wedding."

Gwen let out a dramatic goran and Bucky chuckled at her actions.

"So ,I want to know about you."

"What about me Buck?"

"Who you were before this. Before working for Earth's mightiest heroes."

Letting out a shig Gwen placed her beer down and folded her hands around the bottom of the dark brown bottle.

"I went to Harvard for a handful of years. Before that I lived in Brooksides, Maine. It's a small little town along the coast. Maybe there's a population of, maybe, 17,000. Very small town, everyone knows everyone and everything kind of towns. I love it so much."

"Tell me about that."

Gwen smiled down at her hands and thought about her hometown.

"My parents still live in the same house as we alway have. It's a smallish two story house. It's painted dark green and a light brown. It's just a small walk to the ocean and it's surrounded by trees. From all the windows on the front of the house you can see the most beautiful sunsets in your whole life. My mom has a garden in the backyard, she grows any and everything. She has an amazing green thumb. My dad has a garage in the back where he brings his work home with him. He works as a mechanic, he's been doing that since I was a little baby. Then, my mom is a kindergarten teacher."

Bucky watched as Gwen talked about her childhood home and her parents. Her brown eyes would light up and a smile would come to her face as she talked. Watching her made a smile come to his face as he heard about her life before this.

"Anything else you want to know?"

"Where did you go before being stuck in New York?"

"I lived in Los Angeles before. I hated it there so much. But, Ronda and Abby lived there with me. We would always do road trips on the west coast, we loved going to Tillamook, Oregon. We went there as much as we could, it's still one of my favorite places to go in the whole world. Then I was on call for Tony, which wasn't so bad, that's why I lived in LA because he lived in Malibu."

"Did you go anywhere else?"

"I've been to London. A few years ago me and the girls all went to Europe and backpacked for two months, one of the best things I've ever done. It was amazing. We started in Dublin then ended in Moscow."

"Wow, that must have been incredible."

"I'll show you pictures when we get back."

"Anything else?"

"Nope. What about you Buck? What do I not already know about you."

He rolled his eyes at her and smiled. Gwen brought her beer back up to her lips and took another drink of her beer.

"I think you know everything there is to know. How about 20 questions?"

"Fine. Shoot."

"Favorite colour?"

"Green. Favorite animal?"

"A dog. Favorite sport?"

"Hockey. Favorite season?"

Gwen asked with a smile on her face as she took another drink.

* * *

><p>After their food came and they eat it. They paid for their food and Bucky walked Gwen out of the five star restaurant. Walking outside Gwen shuttered and Bucky moved his arm from around her right arm, to fully around her body, pulling her in closely.<p>

"Where to next Serge?"

"Secret."

"You know I don't like secrets."

"Coming from the girl who worked for SHIELD."

"I never 'worked' for them, I'm employed by Tony, and SHIELD nicely asked me to work with Barton and Steve."

"They asked you nicely?"

"Well, yeah, in the way of 'we don't take no for an answer' but nicely asked."

Bucky laughed and shook his head as they walked down the street together. Gwen looked around them and wondered where they we going next. Turning her gaze forward she saw a familiar face walking towards them. Steve was towards them and was holding a backpack in his hand. Seeing Steve, Bucky waved his arm over his head at his long time friend and Steve waved back. When they walked past them Steve handed Bucky the backpack and smiled at the two.

"Have fun you two."

Steve said with a smile then walked right past them. Gwen yelled that Steve was a butt head to his back, but Steve just waved at them. Gwen laughed and turned to look at Bucky.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Come on."

He had with a smile and they crossed the street with a mob of more people. Gwen recognized where they were going.

"Why are we going to Central Park at night? Are you crazy?"

"Don't worry, I have a plan. And you're with a super solider that won't let anyone touch a hair on this pretty little head of yours."

Bucky told her as he fixed the backpack on his shoulder then kissed the top of her head as they walked. Gwen giggled at him and poked his side. They turned a corner and walking along a lit path into Central Park. Gwen looked around seeing other couples walking the same way that they were. She moved her eyes back up to Bucky and shook her head.

"What are we doing."

"Just a little bit more and you'll know."

Gwen groaned at his words but kept walking, seeing that more and more people were walking the same way. Then she saw a few police officers looking around the area. She was guessing that most people would be worried right now, but she was with Bucky. She was safe no matter what happened. Plus, he wouldn't put her in danger in Central Park in at night.

Walking around a corner on the path Gwen saw what Bucky was keeping secret. Below them was a slope of a hill, on the grass of the slope were people setting up their little camp like area to face the bottom of the hill. At the bottom of the hill was a large white tarp sheet. On the tarp was letter that said 'Movies in the Park'. Gwen put the pieces together and stopped walking. Bucky turned around to look at her and saw her with a smile on her face.

"You didn't. This is so cute!"

She said hurrying over the small amount of space between them and jumped onto him in a hug. Bucky laughed and wrapped her arms around her and spun around a few times, before letting her down.

"And they are showing the Dead Poets Society."

"I love that movie!"

Bucky smiled and kissed her forehead. Seeing her smile even wider when she heard that the Dead Poets Society was the movie. Bucky wrapped his arm back around her and they continued to walk down the hill and tried to find a spot.

"How'd you know that I love this movie?"

"I asked Ronda. She gave me a list of all your favorite things."

"Oh, Ron. I knew I kept her around for some reason."

She said with a smile as they came across as pash of green grass that wasn't taken up by some else's blanket and chairs. Stopping, Bucky placed the backpack down and unzipped it, then pulled out a blanket. He laid it down and Gwen picked up the backpack and stuck her hand inside. She pulled out another blanket. Bucky turned around and took the backpack from her hands and started to set up their area. Gwen smiled as she watched Bucky set up their blanket fort. When he was done he sat down and looked up at her with a smile on his face.

"Why don't you come down here, little lady."

He asked her patting the spot next to him. She giggled as she sat down and curled up into his side. Bucky pulled a few blankets over them and put his hands on the ground behind him, propping him up.

"The movie will start in just five minutes, everyone."

A man said over a PA system somewhere near the projector at the base of the hill. Gwen was giddy with excitement as she curled up closer to Bucky.

"I'm so excited. You are going to love this movie, I swear by it."

Bucky chuckled and wrapped his left arm around her kissed the top of her head again.

"That's what Ronda told me."

"Robin Williams is the greatest actor of all time. He's just amazing. One of these days we are going to watch all of his movies, it will take a while, but it's worth it."

"Anything you say, dollface."

"You love doing whatever I tell you, huh?"

"You're my princess, anything you want you get."

Gwen giggled again and turned red in the face. Bucky took his other hand and placed it on her chin, and pulled her into a kiss. Gwen slowly started to kiss him him back and she worked her hands around his neck. Bucky's grip on her tighten and Gwen pulled away and smiled up at him.

"That is honestly the sweetest any man as ever said to me."

"Like or not dollface, you are a princess."

"I've alway knew it."

She said with a sly smile then she kissed his nose then turned to look at the movie screen. The screen had changed from the message that was there before to the main menu of the DVD.

"It's starting."

She said grabbing onto his arm, nearling jumping up and down. Bucky rolled his eyes watched the screen fade to black then the movie started to play.

* * *

><p>Bucky wrapped his arms around Gwen she he felt her cry softly. She was know sitting between his legs and both of his arms were wrapped around her body. Her head was resting on his chest as they watched the tail end of the movie. Bucky kissed the top of her head as they watched as Todd run in the snow angered and confused about Neal's death. Gwen cried every time at this movie and she didn't care, it was one of her favorites. No amount of tears was ever going to make her stop watching this movie. Bucky had admitted himself that this movie was really good, better than anything they had back in the 40s. Then again almost everything that was in the 21st century was better than the 40s.<p>

After about another 20 minutes or so the movie had ended and people around them started to pack up their belongs. Bucky and Gwen didn't move. The couple stayed for a while longer, waiting past the crowd of people leaving the park. Slowly they untangled themselves and started to clean up their blankets. As Gwen folded the blanket in her hands and Bucky just crammed the big blanket that they sat on into the backpack. Rolling her eyes Gwen started to fold another blanket as Bucky cramped another one inside.

"Just fold it."

She told him as she put the blanket in the backpack. Bucky stopped and looked over at her and shot her a playful glare.

"If you want them folded, you do it."

"With pleasure."

She told him, ripping the blanket from his hands and folding it. Bucky sat on the grass and just watched her work.

"You are such an ass."

She stated when she zipped the backpack and threw at him. He caught it as he stood up and swung it over she shoulder, glaring at her. Walking over to him she punched his chest and linked her arm with his. Rolling his eyes he walked up the hill with Gwen at his side.

"That was the best date I have ever been on."

"You think this is over?"

"Buck, it's like elvan at night."

"What's a date without ice cream?"

Gwen let out a laugh as they made it up the hill and started towards the exit of the park. Once they were out they quickly made it across the street and towards Grand Central Station.

"Pepper told me about this frozen yogurt place near the tower that you like."

"Oh, my God. I love Fro-Fro Berry."

Gwen said with a food lust moan. Bucky chuckled and pulled her towards the sidewalk.

"So she says. But, what the hell is frozen yogurt?"

"It's like really good ice cream. Don't worry you'll like it. Then you get to put whatever you want on it. I love Fro-Fro Berry because they have the toppings. It will blow whatever ice cream was in 1943 out of the water. Steve loves it."

Bucky shook his head and kissed her head again.

* * *

><p>Gwen hurried over to Bucky who was still looking at the options he had for a yogurt flavor. She had already finished topping her yogurt and went to help her hopelessly lost super soldier. She missed this, Bucky and Steve being lost in this new world. Steve had come to grips with 2014, so has Bucky, but there were still some things that boggled his mind.<p>

"Need help Serge?"

Turning his head he looked at her and then back to the wall. There were seven different flavors; original, pistachio, toasted marshmallow, apple pie, Pina Colada, chewy brownie, and mango.

"What one did you get?"

"Apple pie. It's my favorite. You can taste the flavors in one of the sampler cups."

She said pulling towards the wall and grabbing a handful of small ketchup cups. Quickly she started to put small amounts of frozen yogurt into the cups. As she moved on to the next one she handed the filled up ones to Bucky. He didn't eat any of them until he had all seven of them. Gwen turned back to him and took some of them from his hand.

"Go on then."

She said with a smile on his face. Bucky looked down at the cups in his hands and held up the one with brown yogurt.

"This one is brownie, right?"

"Yes. Now eat them."

He held up the cup and sucked the yogurt into his mouth and his taste bubs came to life.

"Oh, my God."

"I know right? More, eat more."

Bucky hurried through the rest of the sample cups and he just wanted more.

"I want brownie."

Laughing Gwen got a big cup and handed it to him.

"Go for it, Serge."

Smiling at her he took the cup and filled it high with brownie flavor frozen yogurt. After his cup was full, Gwen ushered him over to the topping sation and broke him lose. Bucky's eyes went wide at all the varieties of toppings. His mind was telling him to go for the fruit, but his heart and the rest of his mind overrode that thought and went with the sweets. Bucky dropped spoonfuls upon spoonfuls of different candies and baked good bits onto his frozen yogurt.

Gwen silently watched him from the cashier desk and waited for him. His blue eyes looked up to see her looking at him. She shook her head and he put the spoon back into the container and walked over to her. He looked down and saw that she had put hers on a piece of metal on the counter. Putting his next to her's he saw as the young woman behind the counter looked at the iPad and came up with their total.

"That will be $28. 30."

Gwen let out a whistle and pulled out her wallet from her purse. Bucky went to objected but she beat him to it.

"You paid for dinner. Plus, I have a punch card to fill up, baby."

She told him as she pulled out her debit card and a pink, green, and baby blue stock paper card. She handed it to the girl and the girl behind the counter. The frozen yogurt employee did her job then handed the cards back to Gwen.

"There you are, Gwen. Just one more and you'll get your free yogurt."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Have a nice night, you two."

"You too, Sara."

Gwen put the card back into her wallet, then into her purse. Bucky grabbed both of their frozen yogurts, he could feel Sara's eyes on his left hand as he grabbed cups. He's blue eyes went up to Sara's and she avoided his as she looked away. Bucky followed Gwen out the door and out to the street. Standing next to her he handed Gwen her yogurt cup and the two walked towards the tower.

"This is amazing."

Bucky said through his mouthful of brownie yogurt. Gwen laughed at him and took a bit of her own yogurt.

"What you'd get?"

He asked as he eyed the cup of yogurt in her hands. She batted his hand away from her cup, he smiled and took another bite.

"Apple pie with chocolate fudge pop tarts, roasted coconut, hot caramel sauce, and mini M&M's."

"Amazing."

"And you are not getting any of it."

She told him with a manic laugh. Bucky rolled his eyes and just kept eating his first cup of FroYo. They kept walking towards the tower and soon they stood in front of the main doors. Again Gwen took out her wallet and pulled out her Avengers key card. Holding it to to the fob on the outside of the door and the light turned green, and the door opened. Bucky held the door open for her and gave her smile as she walked through the door. Once inside the lights in the room turned on.

"Mister Stark will be pleased that you are back Ms. Brewster, you too Mister Barnes."

"You can tell Tony that we had a wonderful evening and that he can stick his butt into it in the morning."

"Will do Ms. that all ma'am?"

"It will be all. You can call it a night, JARVIS."

"Thank you ma'am. You and Mister Barnes have a good evening."

"Thank you JARVIS."

Both Gwen and Bucky said at the same time. Standing in front of the elevator Bucky hit the up button then the doors opened. Letting Gwen go first she pressed the 39th floor button before Bucky go inside. The ride up the floor was quiet as the two eat the last bit of frozen yogurt. Gwen was done first, to her surprise, Bucky finished not longer after. When he was done he looked over at her and smiled. Gwen rolled her brown eyes as she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"How'd you like it?"

"The best ever."

She smiled and nuzzled her face in his chest, letting out a sigh.

"I told you so."

Then the elevator stopped and the doors opened to their floor. Walking inside with Gwen still face first in his chest.

"Buck, stop."

She said giggling as he walked into the kitchen. He threw the empty cups into the sink, then kissed her. Gwen quickly kissed him back and moved her hands up around his neck as he picked her up.

"Gwen."

He moaned into her mouth as they kissed. Smiling Gwen pulled her lips away from his and moved to his ear.

"Buck, this was amazing."

He smiled and turned his head so he was looking into her eyes.

"Best date ever."

Gwen giggled again, but she stopped when she heard the noise of someone snoring. Both Gwen and Bucky's eyes ripped away from each other's and moved to to living room where they saw Steve asleep on the coach. Gwen covered her mouth as she laughed when she saw Steve.

"Shh."

Bucky said quietly as he laughed too. Putting Gwen back on the floor they quickly hurried across the room and down the hallway, stopping in front of Gwen's door. She turned around and looked up at Bucky with a smile on her face.

"I did have an amazing time. I'm not going to lie."

Bucky smiled down at her and kissed her nose.

"As did I. We need to do it more."

"That's something I could get used to."

Gwen said with a smiled as she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him one last time.

"Night, Serge."

"Oh, come on, dollface."

"I have stuff to do in the morning. I'm sorry. After tomorrow I'm all your, trust me."

"Can't I just come in."

Giving Bucky a sly smile, she opened the door, and took a step inside with her hand laced in his.

"I could use a snuggle buddy."

"You just ruined the moment."

Laughed Gwen kissed his chest then walked over to her bed and started to take her clothes off. When she was in only her bra and paties, Bucky came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

"You look amazing, dollface."

Gwen's face turned red as she traced her fingers along his left arm. Feeling his breath on her neck, he left kisses on her skin, making her crazy.

"Buck. I have things to do."

"I can't tell my girlfriend she looks amazing?"

Turning around Gwen looked up at Bucky with wide eyes. He chuckled down at her and removed his arms from around her and cupped her face.

"What?"

"You called me your girlfriend."

"I guess I did. It has a certain ring to it, doesn't it?"

"Buck, are you..."

"Yes I am."

"I... um, yes."

Bucky smiled and kissed her again. She pulled his shirt over his head and put it on herself.

"What are you waiting for, hot shot?"

She asked as she climbed into bed and got under the blankets. Bucky shook his head and quickly got out of his shoes and pants before jumping into bed next to her. Pulling her closer to him, Bucky kissed her again and rested his forehead against her's.

"I'm guessing that we're moving in together now."

"That was a little fast."

"Come on, I have no where else to go and I'm guessing you want your guest room back."

Gwen giggled and kissed him and then turned around in his arms.

"I guess we can."

She told him with a smile on her lips. Bucky chuckled and kissed the spot behind her ear, making her squirm.

"Night, dollface."

"Night, Serge."

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's Note:<span>**

**It's ****official!**

**Sorry again about the late update. My wifi still isn't working. **

**Favorite, follow, and review your little hearts out! **

**XOXO Love you all!**


	20. Wedding Week

Bucky could feel the needles in his arms. He could feel the all too real pain shoot through his whole body. He could feel his body trying to fight against the pain. Moving his body, he grabbed onto the closest thing he could get his hands on and held onto it as of his life depended on it. Bucky started to let out screams as he felt the title wave of pain wash over him again. Off in the distance he heard the sound of Zola's laugh, making Bucky enraged. Then a female scream rang out through his ears.

His blue eyes shot open to seeing Gwen's brown eyes fixed on him. She was straddling his torso and trying her best to hold his arms back. His right arm was tucked between her leg and his side, while his left arm was being held down by both of her hands.

"Buck, it's okay. Everything's alright. You're at home in bed with me, nothing bad happened."

Letting out a pant Bucky could feel that his whole body was covered in sweat. He took a few deep breaths and Gwen let go of his left arm, not taking her eyes off of it.

Bucky's eyes went back up to look at Gwen again and saw the blood dripping down from her nose. With wide eyes he looked her over and saw that there were large already forming bruises on her right arm. Seeing the look on Bucky's face Gwen wiped the blood from her nose with the back of her hand.

"Bucky it's fine."

He sat up and looked at her, not taking his eyes off of her bleeding nose.

"It's not. Gwen how many times do I have to hurt you until you realize that I'm dangerous."

"Bucky, if I couldn't handle it you won't be sleeping with me. I'm a big girl."

"Gwen, I can't stop hurting you!"

She grabbed onto his left arm Gwen looked him dead in the eye.

"Bucky, you're not getting rid of me that easy."

She told him with a small smile. Bucky didn't return the smile, making it fall from Gwen's face. His eyes were looking down at his metal fingers that were tangled with Gwen's flesh fingers.

"I'm not going anywhere, James.

Hearing her use his real name made a small smile make its way to his face. Seeing the smile Gwen's grew. She never used his birth name unless she was being serious. Gwen had only used it a couple times, and every time she did, it felt weird rolling off her tongue.

"Now, let's get some sleep alright? We have a big ahead of us."

"How could I forget."

"Buck, Macey is getting married in a week. This is a huge deal."

Bucky rolled his eyes and looked over at Gwen who was walking over to the bathroom.

"I understand, but she still has a whole week. Why are we going out there now?"

"Somethings men will never understand."

Gwen said from the bathroom as she grabbed a towel and held it to her nose. With that over her face she dug through her medicine cabinet and looked for the container of vaseline. Finding it she stuck a Q-Tip inside then took the large gloob into her nose, stopping the bleeding. Putting everything back but the towel, Gwen exited the bathroom and hurried back into bed, curling up next to Bucky.

"It's almost been two months."

Bucky said as he wrapped his arm around Gwen. She let out a laugh and looked over at him with a smirk on her face.

"You are getting all sappy over two months?"

"Are you forgetting that for the last 70 years I have been brainwashed. So yes, I can get sappy over two months."

Gwen giggled and turned back around so she was facing away from Bucky. Feeling his arm around her waist she looked down at his left arm. Through the fabric of her shirt she could still feel the cool metal arm. After a few moments of silences, Gwen finally brought up the elephant in the room.

"What was your nightmare about?"

There was nothing from Bucky for a solid minute before he answered her question.

"Just pain. I felt needles going into me. Then there was Zola's laugh."

Gwen let out a sigh and rested her right hand on his arm.

"Bucky, it's okay. Nothing is ever going to hurt you."

He smiled and kissed the back of her head. Closing his eyes he let out a sigh.

"Goodnight, dollface."

"Night Serge."

* * *

><p>"I still can't believe you are driving up there."<p>

Tony said as he helped Gwen load a suitcase into the back of the car. She sighed at him and rested her hands on her hips.

"We can't all be like you, Iron Man."

Tony rolled his eyes and shut the trunk of the CRV. He wrapped his arm around Gwen and lead her back to where Bucky and Pepper were saying their goodbyes.

"You will make it for the wedding, right?"

Gwen asked as her and Tony stopped walking and he wrapped his other arm around her, giving her a hug.

"We will, don't worry."

He said then pulled away to see that Pepper and Bucky were standing no so far away now. Gwen turned from Tony to Pepper, hugging her a well.

"See you in a few days."

Pepper said with a smile when her and Gwen parted ways. Bucky walked up behind her and wrapped his own arm around her, pulling her back into him.

"Yeah. I wish you guys didn't have to go to California."

"We do too. But we'll be there for Saturday, tell Macey not to worry."

"Will do."

Gwen said to Pepper as her and Bucky started to walk over to her car. Bucky got into the passenger seat, while Gwen took the wheel. Before she turned the car on she waved back to Tony and Pepper one last time.

"This is going to be great, Buck. Just you, me, and the road. You'll love it."

Bucky shook his head as he put on his seat belt, earning a slap in the arm by Gwen.

"I'm not afraid to take you on metal boy."

"Bring it, doc."

Bucky said to her, giving her his cockest smile, and he pulled her into him, giving her a kiss. Once they finally pulled away Gwen started the car, and in seconds they pulled out onto the road, beginning their first road trip. Gwen reached over, turning on the radio, but then switched it over to AUX1.

"Could you grab that iPod out of the glove box?"

She asked as she watched the road around them, keeping her eye on the cab driver behind her. Bucky reached out, opening the glove box, and grabbed the iPod. He held it out for her, without taking her eyes off the road she took the iPod. With it in her hand, she grabbed a cord that was coming out middle console. Plugging the iPod, she flipped through the options and hit play on a playlist, then the sound of Led Zeppelin came out of the speakers. Gwen smiled and started tapping her fingers on the steering wheel and started singing along. Putting the iPod down in her lap, Bucky reached over and took it from her and looked at the playlist that his girlfriend had started playing.

"'Running Away with Dean Winchester'. Who's Dean Winchester?"

Gwen couldn't help but laugh at his words. She looked over at Bucky for a quick moment then looked back at the road, and hit the breaks for a red light.

"He's this guy from a show. I'll have to show you it when we get back. It's kind of my guilty pleasure."

"So what is on this playlist?"

"Why don't you look it up super soldier."

She said with a smirk on her lips, feeling Bucky's eyes on her, Gwen looked over and saw him scrolling through the playlist.

"How long is the drive Griffin Point, anyways?"

The light turned green and Gwen switched her foot over to the gas. Driving through the intersection she thought to herself on how long the drive was going to be.

"About two hours maybe. It could be a bit longer with the traffic. Why are you asking? Are you sick of my music already?"

"No, never. I was just wondering."

"Right. This is going to be boatloads of fun, don't you worry."

"That's what I'm worried about."

Gwen let out a gasp and with her right hand she let go of the wheel and hit Bucky a few times.

* * *

><p>Bucky hopped out of the car and looked up at the hotel that they had pulled up to. He let out a long low whistle, he put his hands on his hips and felt Gwen's arm wrap around her.<p>

"Well, shit. This place is nice."

"It took four visits out here with Macey to pick it. So yeah, it's nice."

Bucky let out a chuckle and stretched out his arms, letting his left fall over Gwen's shoulders. Leaning down he kissed the top of her head as they looked up at the hotel. It was very large old time mansions. The outer walls were painted white and looked to date back to 1700s.

"It was a house of a plantation owner in the 1700s. It was turned into hotel about a hundred years ago. Pretty sweet right. Tony helped us book it for the wedding."

Gwen explained as they walked up to the front steps of the hotel, as they walked up a man came out of the front doors and came down towards the couple.

"Welcome back, Gwen."

"Ah, John. It's great to see you."

Gwen said stepping away from Bucky to greet John. He pulled her into a hug, and then they turned back towards Bucky.

"John, this is my boyfriend Bucky. Baby, this is John Collins, he owns the place."

"It's good to met you Bucky. You've got yourself a good girl here."

Bucky took John's hand in a shake, and the man's eyes went down to Bucky's metal arm. John's eyes came up to met Bucky's and a smile was still on John's face.

"Thank you, I know I'm pretty lucky. And I lost it over seas."

"Where'd you serve?"

"Um, Afghanistan."

Bucky said as him and John let go of each other and Bucky's arm went back around Gwen.

"Macey, Devon and the rest of the wedding party are out back. We can have your bags taken up to your room, if you'd like."

"Thank you, John that would be wonderful."

John smiled at the both of them then he walked towards Gwen's car while Gwen and Bucky walked into the large house. Walking inside, Bucky couldn't stop looking around as him and Gwen walked towards the back of the house. The closer they got to the back the more they could hear Macey and the other girls talking.

"Are you ready for this?"

Gwen asked looking up at Bucky. He just shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

"I don't think so."

"Great, let's get this started."

Gwen said with a smile on her face then the two of them walked through the back door and arrived on the patio. Bucky thought that the front of the house of beautiful, but the backyard was something out of a landscaper's dream. No wonder Macey ended up picking this as her wedding venue. The backyard was about an acre of lush green grass, with hedges and flowers everywhere. This had to be what the garden of Eden looked like.

"Gwenny! You made it!"

Macey called from the outdoor table. Bucky looked over at the bride to be and saw her getting up from her chair and walking over to him and Gwen with a margarita glass in her hand. Macey got to Gwen first and gave her a hug, and told her how happy she was that she had gotten here.

"I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't have gotten here."

"Mace, I'm the maid of honour, of course I'm coming to my best friend's wedding."

"I thought I was your best friend, Gwen. Tell Macey that I'm your best friend."

Ronda called from her seat at the table. Bucky chuckled at the now blonde woman. The whole best friend thing was something that Gwen, Macey, and Ronda had going from a TV show called How I Met Your Mother. They were copying the characters Ted, Marshall, and Barney in who was Ted's best friend. Here in the real world Gwen was Ted, Macey was Marshal, and Ronda was Barney. Gwen had shown Bucky the show a few times and he loved it, when she wasn't around that what he was doing, watching all the seasons of the show.

"Bucky, my favorite super soldier."

Macey said as she moved her attention over to him, pulling him into a hug.

"I thought that Steve was your favorite?"

"Nope, don't tell him that I said that. Thanks for coming, by the way."

Bucky smiled and let go of Macey to see that she was smiling up at him.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world, Macey."

The bride giggled and covered her mouth with her free hand.

"Oh stop it, you're making me blush."

She said with a laugh, making her face turn a light pink.

"Come on, order a drink, be merry."

Macey said to the couple as she turned her back on them and walked back over to the table. Gwen and Bucky followed her and sat down in the empty chairs that were saved for them. When they sat down Gwen took hold of Bucky's hand and looked around the table.

"Well, I guess I should introduce you."

Gwen said when her eyes finally fell on Bucky. His eyes were on her, because he could feel all the pairs of eyes at the table looking at him. He just simply nodded, making Gwen let out a small short laugh.

"Alrighty. Bucky, this lovely man to my right is Devon's kid brother Charlie, he's the best man and who I'll be walking down the aisle with. Then there's Devon's two best friends Matt and Nathan. And finally, the man to your left is Devon's favorite cousin Gabe. Then you already know the girls."

Bucky moved his blue eyes from Gwen to look around the table seeing Devon's side of the wedding party they all waved and said hi, then Gabe held out his hand for Bucky to take.

"Hey, man. You must be Gwen's man. You're in the army, right?"

"Was. Bucky."

"Gabe. What kind of name is Bucky?"

"It was my nickname growing up, I guess I never really grew out of it."

Bucky said with a smile on his face. He felt Gwen squeeze his other hand, making him look over at her, seeing her with a margarita in her hand and a smile on her face.

This is going to be one crazy week, Bucky thought to himself as he looked from Gwen to Macey at the other end of the table.

* * *

><p>Gwen walked with Macey around the grounds of the hotel. Both girls had a drink in their hand as they walked and talked about the wedding. As they came back around to the back patio of the large house Gwen saw that Bucky and the rest of Devon's wedding party were sitting at the table still laughing and having a good time.<p>

"I'm so happy for you two."

Macey said as she looked at the table as well. Gwen looked over at Macey with a look of confusion.

"You're happy from us? How about I'm happy for you and Devon! You guys are getting married in less than a week."

"But think of everything that you and Buck have gone through. Taking down HYDRA, getting shot, being kidnapped, and the whole Winter Soldier thing. Come on, you guys get a gold medal."

"Well, thanks."

Gwen said with a smile as her brown eyes looked over at the table again and her eyes locked on her boyfriend. Seeing the smile on his face made her smile even wider.

"Do you think he's ready to go back into the field?"

"I've been talking about it with Bruce and Steve. We think that after the wedding that he'd be ready. He's been getting antsy about it. It's been six months of him in the tower while everyone else has been out fighting HYDRA."

"Well that's good. Do you think that you're going to go out into the field?"

"I have no idea. Maybe not, maybe yes? I'm not sure. I think I have bullet wounds for a lifetime. I think I'll be in the tower if anyone needs me."

Macey laughed and wrapped her free hand over Gwen's shoulders and smiled as she walked towards the patio.

"How many times have you been shot anyways?"

"I think three times. But I have the scar on my head, my leg, and my stomach. Then that burn mark on my back. So, I think I have seven scars on me."

"Girl, I'm sorry for making you work with superheros. I think that you working in LA would have been safer."

Gwen laughed and looked over Macey. The bride to be was smiling as she took a drink from her margina.

"Well, you have Buck and that's all that matters. You love the guy, right?"

"I think I do. I mean come on, he's saved my life and shot me. I think I must if I'm still with him."

Macey laughed again as they walked. As they neared the patio, Macey pulled Gwen's arm so that she stopped.

"Please tell me you've slept with him now."

Gwen rolled her eyes and looked over at Bucky. When her eyes found him again her cheeks turned a deep red as she thought about her and Bucky.

"Yes! Finally!"

Macey yelled as she threw her arms in the air, making everyone at the patio table look over Macey and Gwen. Gwen's face turned an even deep colour of red and she covered her face with her free hand. She turned Macey around and started to walk away from the patio.

"Well, how was it?"

"Great, awesome, mind blowing, incredible. That about sums it up."

"Better than Brock?"

"Better than Brock."

Gwen said with a smile. Macey couldn't stop giggling and started to ask Gwen more and more questions about her and Bucky.

* * *

><p>Bucky opened the door for Gwen as she stumbled and giggled her ass off. He rolled his eyes as she wandered into their hotel room. They day had been filled with going over with Macey that she had everything for the wedding on Saturday and filled with free refills of drinks. Gwen had told Bucky that she shouldn't drink too many but that promise was broken after about two hours. He had even lost count of how many drinks Gwen had sucked down in the last twelve hours.<p>

Now Bucky stood with his back to the door as he watched Gwen tried to back her way to the bed. As she stumbled her way over to the large bed, she would pull her clothes off until she was just left in her bra and panties.

"Are you coming or what soldier?"

He couldn't help but chuckle as he pushed himself off the door and followed her to the bed. Gwen was now standing right at the edge of the mattress when Bucky wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his chest.

"Hey there, soldier."

She said with a giggle. Bucky nuzzled his face into the neck, giving her small kisses as he did so. Gwen couldn't stop giggling as he did this because of the stubble he had on his face.

"Buck, stop. That tickles."

"What tickles?"

He asked pulling his face away with a smirk on his face.

"This?"

Then he did it again, making Gwen fall into the bed in a giggle fit. Bucky fell right after her, putting his arm out so he didn't fall on top of her. Gwen stopped giggling and looked up at Bucky and smiled.

"This might sound crazy, but I think I love you."

She said, Bucky's eyes went wide and he looked down at her brown eyes. He saw that they were indeed serious, but also worried. A smile rolled onto Bucky's lips then he leaned down and gave her a small innocent kiss.

"This is even crazier, but I think I love you, too."

A swell came out of Gwen and her arms went up and wrapped around his neck, and kissed him hard. Bucky grabbed onto her hips and pulled her closer to him. His left arm pushed past her cotton shirt, sending goosebumps up her spine. Gwen shuttered under his touch and couldn't help but smile.

"You drive me crazy."

She told him when she pulled away from him. Bucky chuckled and kissed her again.

"The feeling mutual, dollface."

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's<span>**** Note:**

**I am really really really really really really really really really really really sorry that I haven't updated in forever! Life has been lame, stupid and a fucking mess. **

**There is no way in hell that I'm leaving this story. And thank you for waiting for the update. **

**Also, I started another Bucky story, it's _One for the Money, Two for the Show. _It takes place back in the 40s.**

**I love you all! *HUGS***

**Ciao!**

**XOXOXO**


	21. Thank you, Liens

Running around the room Gwen placed the name tags at the right spots at the tables. She checked the list that Abigail had in her hand.

"Gwen, just slow down."

"Um, Abby we have a half an hour before the repetition starts. I don't have time."

Abigail rolled her eyes at the maid of honor and looked down at the list. Gwen's heels clicked on the tile floor as she hurried around the room.

"Why is Joe sitting at the same table as Carly?"

"Why not?"

"They dated for two years and had a messy break up. I don't want to deal with that. It's weird enough that Macey invited the both of them. Here."

Gwen said taking Joe's name tag off the table and hurried to the other side of the room to the single's table. She placed it between Macey's cousin Violet and Devon's friend from college Mel.

"We need to hurry up."

Abigail said looking at her watch. Gwen's head shot up and looked over at her friend and glared at her.

"Slow down. Hurry up. Make up your mind."

Gwen said walking away from the single's table and back over to Abigail. Taking the list from Abigail and looked it over herself. She double checked the seating and then walked back over to Abby. She handed the list back to her and gave her a smile.

"We're good to go."

Gwen said with a small smile and Abigail returned the smile. The two girls started to walk out of the room and towards the backyard.

"How are you and Clayton?"

Gwen asked her friend as they walked together. She had realized that she hadn't spent much time with Abigail or Jennifer in the last few months. Most of her time was spent with either Ronda and Macey planning the wedding or at the tower with Bucky. But, all the blame wasn't on Gwen. Abigail had really dedicated herself to her job as a reporter for the city's top local news channel. She had dreams of becoming an anchor before she was 30. Jennifer was living in Connecticut working as a professor in Middle Ages History. Ronda and Macey were the only ones who weren't having their job consume their lives. Sure, Macey had the wedding to plan but her job hadn't taken total control of her life. Macey was an artist, she had her own studio and everything, even Tony and Pepper had bought a few of her pieces. Then, there was Ronda. She was still working at the same restaurant that she started working in six years ago. However now, she was high up in the business, she was practically running the whole place. But, she was still a party girl and her job allowed her to be just that.

"Clay and I are great. Who knows, maybe we'll be the ones getting hitched next summer?"

Abigail said with a laugh, and Gwen couldn't help herself from not laughing along with her. Abby and Clay had been dating for what seemed like years, but in reality it was just two years. They had met at the restaurant that Ronda worked at, of all places. It was Ronda's night off and the rest of the group wanted to have a girl's night, so the all met up at the restaurant to start off the night. Clay was in town for his sister's wedding and him and his family were having dinner there at the same time. After a while, him and Abby had caught each other's eye and when Abby went up to the bar Clay made his way up there as well. They ended up trading numbers and as the night went on Abby texted him to see if he wanted to come out with them. When Clay's sister's wedding passed he went back home to Michigan, after a few months of him and Abigail doing long distance, Clay was able to get a transfer to New York and the two of them had been together ever since.

"I hope. You two are great together."

"Not as great as you and Bucky."

"Come on. I've known the guy for six months. You guys are acting like we were meant to be together."

"Who knows? Maybe you guys are? Think about it. He came back after all this time to whisk you off your feet and ride off into the sunset together. I know that you had always had a weird crush on him."

"I have not."

"Oh, yes you have. I remember in college when you wrote that paper about him. Come on. While everyone was drooling over Steve, you were drooling over Buck. You can't deny it, Gwen, it's the truth."

Gwen couldn't help but laugh and agree with what Abigail was saying. She was right in the fact that she had always had a weird crush on Bucky, but it was always weird because to the world he was dead.

"Think what you want Abby."

Her friend laughed then the two girls walked outside to the patio. Night had fallen and the whole backyard was lit up by white Christmas lights. One big long table was set up in the grass and handfuls of people were standing around talking. Most of the people were Macey and Devon's close friends and family.

Gwen had her eyes peeled for Bucky to see if she would need to drive in and save him from some family member of Macey's or Devon's who struck up a conversation. After a few seconds Gwen's brown eyes did find Bucky. He was standing with her parents, of all people, and Devon's mom and older sister.

"Oh, I found Clay. You find you man?"

Abigail asked as she looked from Clay, who was talking with Devon and his wedding party, back over to Gwen. Gwen nodded and then gave Abby a quick hug before she walked across the doorway towards Bucky. When she was close enough she called his name and he turned around to see her coming towards him. He turned to her parents and said something to them, making them look back towards Gwen as well. They waved her over, making Gwen pick up her pace a little bit.

"Sorry, I haven't seen you sooner."

Gwen said giving her mom and dad a hug before turning to Devon's family. Her mom said that they had gotten in just an hour ago and her dad said that it was alright. Gwen turned from her parents to Devon's mom, Mary and his older sister, Meg.

"How are you guys? I haven't seen you in forever."

Gwen said giving Mary a hug first before moving on to Meg. When she was done with the hugs Gwen found herself standing next to Bucky, with his arm around her waist.

"I know. We have to visit more often. Now, I've met your boyfriend, and may I say, he is quite a catch."

Mary said with a smile and holding up the 'ok' sign with her fingers. Gwen's face turned a light shade of pink at Mary's words.

"To me, I thought that you would end up with Steve, to be honest."

"Gwen and Steve? Fat chance. Steve's too scared of her."

Bucky said with a smile on his face. Gwen couldn't help but laugh at his words. In a way they were true. It's not that Steve was scared of her, it was the fact that she was his therapist and he knew the rules. Bucky knew the rules as well, but he chose to break them for her.

"Bucky was just telling us the story of how you two met."

Meg said pointing over at Bucky. Gwen looked from Meg to up at Bucky with a smile on her face. Knowing full well that he didn't tell them how they really met.

"Oh, he was. I just love the story. Don't you?"

Both Mary and Meg nodded their head and Gwen could help but crack a smile, wondering what Bucky had told them.

"What was your favorite part?"

"I loved when he came into your office and told you in front of everyone one that he wanted to go out with you."

"Oh, what about the part when he got down on one knee and asked you out. Oh, Gwen you two are like a couple out of a movie. It's just so sweet."

Gwen wanted to bust up laughing. She looked up at Bucky and saw him looking down at her with an innocent look in his eye.

"You took the last bit from the Proposal. Really?"

She said to him quietly so that Mary and meg didn't hear them.

"What? You said you like that movie. It was the first thing that popped into my head."

"Well, you need to stop watching chick flicks."

"Shut up."

"Alright everyone. Dinner is served!"

Devon called out from the head of the table. Everyone in the backyard turned to look at him and all started walking towards the table. Gwen took Bucky's arm and the two said goodbye to her parents and Mary and Meg. They walked towards the head of the table where the wedding party and their plus ones were sitting. Gwen and Bucky were sitting to the right of Macey. When they sat down Gwen looked over at Bucky and her smile from her face wouldn't go away.

"What are you so happy about, dollface?"

"I'm just happy you're here."

"I am too."

He said giving her a quick kiss. When they pulled away Ronda's voice pulled Bucky's attention from his girlfriend.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite non getting married couple."

"You're acting surprised to see us here, Ronda."

Bucky said as he gave her a hug. She laughed and looked at Gwen when she was in mid hug.

"Hey, Gwenny."

"Hey, Ronny."

When Bucky and Ronda let go of each other Devon stood up again and said a few words about how happy he was that they were all there the day before his wedding. After his short speech he said that they were allowed to start eating. With a smile on Gwen's face she quickly grabbed the fork that was besides her plate and drove right into the plate of food.

Gwen was in the middle of telling Macey about how the setting up the table went with Abigail when her phone started to ring. She pulled it out from the back jean pocket and saw that it was Pepper.

"Excuse me."

"No problem."

Macey said with a smile. Knowing that it might be work related and she had to take the call. Gwen stood up from her chair and quickly walked away from the table and out toward the yard before answering the call.

"Hey Pepper, are you and Tony-"

"Have you seen the news yet?"

"The news? Um, no. Not yet, why? Did something happen to Steve?"

"No. Well in a way. But, this has to do about you."

"What? Pepper, what is going on?"

Gwen asked now getting worried into why she was somehow tied to something on the news.

"It has to do about DC and Bucky. It's taken the government a while, but they've gotten a bunch of the files that Natasha put out on the internet. After taking their time looking at them, they've decided to bring Bucky to court about it. They say it's because we have been keeping Bucky. They see him as an enemy to the country and he should be tried for what he's done. They are saying that they are acts of terrorisms."

"What?"

"I just wanted to tell you before they called you. Gwen, this is a major deal. You need to talk to Bucky about this."

"I... I'll do that. Pepper, did they say when this is going to happen?"

"I don't know, soon. They called your office and I had JARVIS contact me to the call. Look, I'll make this happen after you come back from the wedding."

"I owe you big time, Pepper. Just, I don't know. I would want to talk to them, but I'm in the middle of something right now."

"I know. We can talk about this when I see you tomorrow. We'll come up with a game plan, Gwen. Don't worry. Go have fun, okay."

"Yeah. I'll do that. Thanks again, Pepper."

"Don't mention it. Bye Gwen."

"Bye."

Hanging up her phone. Gwen looked back at the table at Bucky. Her heart was beating so fast, she could barely hear herself think. Bucky was being tried for acts of terrorism. Looking around her, Gwen found a bench and sat down on it, taking to regain herself. She put her face in her hands and started to take deep breaths.

"Everything is going to be alright. It's all going to work out."

Just then her phone started ringing again. Looking down at the screen she saw that it was an unknown number with a DC area code.

"Shit."

She said as she pick it up and clicked answer. Slowly she held it up to her ear and said hello.

* * *

><p>Gwen walked into the hotel and headed straight for the bar. She sat down at a stool and the bartender walked over to her.<p>

"What will it be?"

"Jack on the rocks."

He nodded and went to make her drink. Gwen just looked down at the bar her mind was going a million miles per hour. What was she going to do about Bucky? She had no idea in the slightest on what to do.

"Here you go."

Gwen looked up and saw that he had placed her glass in front of her. Looking up from her glass she smiled at the man and looked at his nametag.

"Thank you, Liens."

"You're with the wedding, right?"

"You're looking at the maid of honor."

"Wow. May I just say that this wedding is amazing. I've seen a lot of weddings here, but by far this one is my favorite."

"Thank you. Look, I was wondering if you could do me a little favor. I'm going through something really big right now. If my hand does not have a drink in it, I was wondering if you could put one in there at all times?"

"The Kennedy package."

"Whatever you say Lenis."

"Who should I bill this to?"

"Tony Stark."

Gwen said with a smile then she raised the glass to her lips and took a long drink.

* * *

><p>"Gwen have you been here the whole time?"<p>

Ronda asked when she walked inside seeing Gwen still sitting at the bar. Turning around Gwen saw Ronda and nodded.

"Well, your boyfriend is looking for you."

"Tell him to look harder."

She said taking another drink of her Jack Daniel's. The look on Ronda's face turned to worry as she walked over to her friend and sat down on the barstool next to her.

"Gwen, is everything alright?"

"Great actually. I need to talk to Bucky about something actually."

She said sliding off her stool and she made her way to the door. Ronda stayed in her stool and turned towards Lenis and asked for another drink.

As Gwen walked back outside she looked around to find Bucky. Taking another drink she found him talking to Jennifer by the table. Making her way over there she tried her best to keep herself together. Calling out Bucky's name he turned around and saw her. The smile that was on his face and gone away when he did see her and the drink in her hand.

"Gwen, are you-"

"Okay? Yeah, I'm just peachy. I need to talk to you."

She said to him, grabbing his arm and pulled him away from Jennifer. She walked with him towards where she was on the phone before. Bucky watched her the whole time they walked, something about her was off.

"You are not okay. Come on, Gwen tell me what's-"

"You are being tried for acts of terrorism by the United States government."

"What?"

"Yeah, it's taken them a few months to get everything straight, but they know what they know now and are ready to bring to justice."

"But... But, Gwen. I would never do- What are you talking about?"

"Pepper called me to tip me off about it, then I got a call from the President. He said that we are to appear before the supreme court next wednesday for the first day of the trail."

"I was told that this would never happen."

"Well, it is."

Gwen said taking the last drink of her Jack. She looked up at Bucky and saw the worry and confusion in his eyes. She knew that she shouldn't have told him right then and there, but she had no other choice. He was a big boy and she couldn't hold his hand through everything.

"Don't worry, Buck. We'll get through this. Don't you worry, okay?"

She said wrapping her arms around him. He did the same to her her. She could feel him resting his head on the top of her head as he did so. Gwen smiled and closed her eyes.

"I love you no matter what."

"I know you do, Gwen. But this... I'm not sure what's going to happen after this."

"Everything will work itself out. Don't worry. I won't let you get locked up. Not while I'm still around."

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's<span>**** Note:**

**And here's another one. Sorry's it's a tad bit short, but it's better than nothing, right?**

**I've actually planned to do the court thing for a while.**

**Favorite, follow and review Darlings :)**

**Ciao!**

**XOXOXO**


End file.
